No Way Home
by GiantSlinkys
Summary: 6 years ago she fell down the well, and 2 years ago the well, her only way back to everything she knew closed. Now looking for a way to get rid of Naraku, she finds love on the way.
1. Chapter 1

Six years ago, I was pulled into the well.

Six years ago, I met InuYasha.

Five years ago, I heard his story.

Five years ago, Kikyo came back to life.

Four years ago, I got training in my miko abilities and my fighting.

Four years ago, we completed the Shikon, and Naraku went into hiding.

Three years ago, we killed Kana.

Three years ago, Sesshomaru joined our group.

Two years ago, I brought Kikyo back to life.

Two years ago, the well closed.

One year ago, InuYasha took Kikyo as his mate.

One Year ago, I completed my miko training, and the Jewel joined with my soul, finally giving Midoriko her rest.

Today, is my birthday,

Today is the day I leave the village Edo.

Kikyo will be the village miko. I still have not completed my reason for being here, Naraku, Hakudoshi(sp?), and Kagura are still alive and building an army. I was still here to make sure they didn't.

I had long since abandoned my school uniform for a slayers garb underneath a traditional priestess uniform. My hair now fell to the back of my knees and was thick wavy and dark black. My sword at my side and my yellow bag gone replaced by a smaller bag holding only what I couldn't get by myself now at my side, my bow on my shoulders and my quiver on my back with the strap across my chest. I only had my equipment on to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything. Sango and Miroku had left to rebuild the slayer's village, making sure I knew I was welcome back to visit,with Miroku's cursed hand being to the point where it will no longer grow, or devour him, as a direct result of my training. Naraku still has to die for it to go away. Sango and Miroku no longer fearing the wind tunnel, got married.

With Kaede and Kikyo tending to the herbs and InuYasha out hunting it was my final chance to say goodbye to the god tree. Taking an arrow and my sword I walked out to the tree, taking my meditative position; legs tucked under me, knees out to the side, I began to pray to the Kami to keep the tree and the village around it safe.

This journey started with an arrow.

Me pulling the arrow out.

Me breaking a seal.

Me freeing a Half-Demon.

I'm not sure how my journey will end, but my leaving this village will end with.

Me leaving an arrow in the tree.

Me creating a seal.

And me leaving a half-demon.

Pulling forth my energy, with a well practiced hand, I left a message to my family that would show up on the god tree in 500 years to let them know I was ok, I had spent the last two years of my practice sending messages on arrows with miko powers, I've never tried sending one to last through time, the effectiveness of a sealing spell, is a direct result of how passionate you are about the spell. Kikyo's spell was easily broken due to the fact she still loved him when she sealed him, mine will last until I die, the arrow will fall when that happens, my family will know that much.

After the spell was complete I sat down to meditate to restore some energy.

After an hour I felt well enough, to go at least the three days it would take me to get to Sango and Miroku's villiage.

The sight that greeted me upon arriving was not what I had hoped to see, but one I had been expecting in a worst case scenario.

Inu-Yasha with his ears flat on his head, and his head bowed down, and a look of pure guilt on his face.

"Kagome, I know I promised to complete this with you, I can no longer hold that promise, Kikyo is pregnant, I can't risk my life. I couldn't leave her to be alone during this time."

"Inu-Yasha, I knew right when you and Kikyo mated, you guys would not be continuing this with me, now come here."

"Feh, What do you mean you knew?"

"Do you think I would have done anything less than a dealing spell to prevent you from leaving if she was pregnant? Now come here."

as he walked over, I grabbed on to his rosary and broke it, took a few beads off of the ground. And handed one back to him.

As he reached his hand out to take one he retracted it back quickly.

"What are they gonna do to me now? Make it so Kikyo can 'sit' me too?"

"They will let you know if I find Naraku or any trouble I can't beat, or if anything bad will happen to you they will let me know."

"It will do that? All of that?"

"Yes it will. Goodbye for now Inu-Yasha, I will be back before the baby is born."

and with that I left Edo for a while in the direction of Sango's village

Walking through the forest was an uneventful small rabbits was all I passed through. It was days like today I wish Shippou had not left to find a fox demon clan to show him how to better use his magic.

Around midday I ran into a demon who was a mean one, it jumped up and began screaming about wanting the jewel, and all of the power it would bring it. This one seemed like a small one so I didnt plan on using any of my powers, taking out the sword from its place on my hip, I cut upwards but where the demon had been only seconds ago was air.

Looking at me from its place in the trees the demon lunged at me, I held up my sword and swung at where it would be, instead for the second time that day I hit air.

Looking up I saw the lord of the west cleaning his sword off in the grass.

"You should be more careful miko."

"Sesshomaru, good to see you too! Thanks for that now we are even."

"What do you mean even miko?"

"I saved Rin and cured her when she was sick, now you have saved me, and when you helped to save Kohaku."

"I guess we are settled and I owe you nothing, goodbye miko."

as he turned to walk away I ran up to him grabbed his nub of an arm, it had grown back since InuYasha cut it off, so I decided to make it so he would be able to go to sleep and wake up with an arm, it would only take a night.

"Now i'm up by one, goodbye Sesshomaru"

"What do you mean up one, Wench!"

as I continued walking through the forest I found a small bush of berries, gathering enough in a small bag I had I grabbed those for a snack.

As night approached and nothing eventful had happened I found a small area of trees to go to sleep in. Taking out 6 pieces of sutra paper, I wrote down the ones I would need for a strong barrier and using a small does of holy power, stuck them to trees in a circle around my camp, I set out my sleeping bag, I had gotten a new one before the well closed, I laid down with my sword next to me and my arrows along with my bow on the other side. Closing my eyes I fell into a peaceful sleep.

I dreamed of a white dog standing outside of my barrier staring at me the dog reminded me of Sesshomaru, the only difference was he had all four legs. Remembering what happened yesterday I woke with a start to find that same white dog staring at me.

Watching his hairs grow back into his skin and the hair on his head grow down his back to calfs. His body, head, and legs shrink back to their normal size, his clothes still on his body but his swords falling to the ground.

Getting up I grabbed the closest sutra to me and pulled it from the tree and the rest fell down next to their respective trees. When I heard the one thing I didn't want to, Sesshomaru growling, I heard one footstep, and felt a calloused clawed hand around my throat, and my back hitting the tree that held the sutra just a few seconds before holding me between it and Sesshomaru.

"What have you done to me, Miko?"

"Well that of course depends on when you are referring to, I got the sword that you wanted out of your father's stomach and gave it to your half brother that he then used to cut your arm off, I saved your ward, kicked your toad, and most recently I helped to...uh... speed up your already fantastic healing abilities. That's all I can think of for now, care to add anything?"

"Miko, did this Sesshmaru ever ask for your help?"

"Well no, but I thought it would be nice." When his eyes started to bleed red, I understood why he was so upset about his arm, "now don't think of it as me thinking of you as weak, you and I know you are the strongest demon even with one arm, I just want to bring you back to where you were before I caused your arm to get cut off, it was me fixing what I broke, can we go back to where we were before this?"

"Miko..." then both of us felt it, three very strong auras of three very strong demons.

The wind picked up, the neighing, and the chilling laughter that could only belong to the threesome of Hakudoshi, Entei, and Kagura.

"Sesshomaru, if it would get you to let me go so I can fight, I will cut off the arm if it means that much to you."

"Don't kill Kagura, she's on your side."

"I just want Hakudoshi dead today, Kagura isn't on my list"

With that he let me go, I went to my pack and grabbed the net of silk I had prepared an arrow and my bow, notching the arrow with the end of the net tied to it, putting a little of my miko oomf into it, I took aim and waited for them to come.

"Miko, what is that contraption?

Saying nothing I waited for Hakudoshi, when I first heard Entei I let the shot loose, it missed narrowly. When Kagura let some wind from her fan go I doged as quickly as I could I still got hit by a branch that got knocked off, when Entei spit several fire balls at me, I tried to dodge by doing a roll to the left. When I felt something grab my waist and I went speeding up.

"Miko do what you must to make that contraption work."

Sesshomaru was apparently faster than Entei.

My net went around Hakudoshi and I caught him, pulling on the string the net tightened and pulled Hakudoshi off of Entei.

In the minutes that followed I did a few things, the first was to send several shocks releasing Hakudoshi from Naraku, and severing any link they had. Then I did the basic, sent enough purifying energy to take out Sesshomaru and. Grabbing the arrow on the string I shot it through the mess that would have been Hakudoshi.

And then to put it simply, I passed out. In the process of passing out I fell off of the cloud that Sesshomaru had been carrying us on.

Switch To Sesshomaru POV

Seeing the miko falling, I knew I had one of two options, go after he or let her fall to her death. Although the second option sounded appealing I did owe her one, saving her would take me out of her debt. But when I went to get the miko I felt a burst of heat and she was in the back of Entei. He landed on the ground and leaned to his left and she fell off of his back he then spit several fire balls in a circle around the two of them trapping them in the small clearing with her pack and fallen sutras, he looked up at me his eyes grew dark in a challenge and he let out a neigh so loud it was more like a roar. As any sensible demon would have, I flew off making sure to keep a close distance incase the miko was in need of some, assistance. Although thinking about it, the miko did a nice thing by restoring, or helping me to restore my arm. It will take some getting used to I think I will be able to fight better like this, protecting Rin.

Now comes the waiting.

Kagomes POV

16 hours into my trip to Sango's villiage and I had already killed Hakudoshi, repaired Sesshomaru's arm, and passed out from over exertion, and from here on out it got bigger.

I woke up to a big, cold and wet thing pressing against my cheek, feeling a hot blast of breath I felt after the nudging, and a big huff of warm breath hit my face are the things I woke up to.

The sight I woke up to was terrifying

long white nose, red eyes, large ears, and fire in the background

The old Kagome would have screamed

The old Kagome would have called for Inu-Yasha

But not now, I opened my eyes to see Entei, the horse that Hakudoshi had been riding, the horse to be known as the fastest and meanest demon horse, who only allows evil demons to ride him, who makes demons prove themselves before riding him, looking at me.

"Give me a few minutes, Entei, then I will know what you want ok?"

he just looked at me.

Taking that as a yes I tucked my knees under and calmed myself and began to meditate, bringing myself to my "happy place" in my mind. Sitting under the God Tree with Shippou in my lap and Kirara at my side, the well open and working in the background.

Meditating, pulling my strength back.

Standing up I pulled out of my meditation, and shook my head, pulling just a little power to my hand nothing to hurt him but enough to do what I had to.

Walking over to Entei, he saw my hand and began jumping around and kicking.

"Entei, I need you to calm down, I won't hurt you, miko's promise."

And with that he settled down, still visibly tense and I put my hand on his head in between his eyes and focused.

"Entei, why are you here? Don't you only allow the strongest to ride you?"

and in my head I heard his response

"Miko, you are stronger than any demon I know, You also posses compassion, something that is what demons lack. I want you to be my rider, with my help, you will be able to destroy Naraku, he is the one who was responsible for my family getting slayed. That is a story for a different time. Where did you learn to do this?"

"I was allowed to practice with my friends Neko-Demon I learned to talk through her mind and I could do it with any demon that doesn't have a human form and cannot speak with me, and that will allow me this close with my miko powers active and out."

And that was how me and Entei began traveling together, after packing up my camp and making sure I had meditated for a little longer we left in the direction of the slayer village

Thinking about it, taking Entei to the slayers village was a bad idea, as we got with in shooting distance of the village I got Entei's attention

"Hey Entei, will you slow down please? I need to warn Sango and Miroku"

and with that he stopped, I got off of him and gave him a hug around the neck and gave him a pet on the head. And we walked to the edge of the forest around Sango's village. I took out my bow and one arrow pointing up so my arrow head was in line with the sun, I released, knowing it would hit some where near the center, maybe on the tower she had so my arrows wouldn't hit any one.

And then I heard it, the creaking of the big wooden doors as they opened slowly. I beckoned for Entei to follow me. The door opened to reveal Kohaku, who took one look at Entei and took out his weapon and charged. Doing the first thing that came to mind; I close lined him knocking him down.

"Kohaku, this is my new friend, Entei, I killed Hakudoshi and he wanted me to be his rider. I guess everyone has a reason to want Naraku dead."

"You know Sango will have a fit right?"

"I'm planning on it"

Walking through the village with Entei I was greeted by many strange looks.

I say many because in the two years since Sango and Miroku left our traveling party they went back to the village, to find it already rebuilt by the children of nearby villages that they had saved who had grown up and been sent by the elders of the village to help out, when they found the village destroyed they set to work to take away all of the ashes and debris.

Sango had arrived and found the village had been rebuilt for months, she then had a group of young adults to train in the way of demon slaying. One year after she arrived at the village Kohaku showed up ready to finish his training and help teach the ones in lower classes to take some of the burden off of Sango. Her and Miroku had finally been married, after a lot of talking to, they kept using his hand and Naraku as reasons behind why they weren't married yet. After six solid months of talking after they moved back they got married and were the leaders of the village. The young boys weren't used to having a woman as a leader, but having a woman as a leader and a bunch of eligible young boys in the village was enough incentive for women to send their daughters the village. Sango taught them how to fight, and they taught her housekeeping. Now two years after the village was restored, they were well known with a small section dedicated to those who were killed in Naraku's attack almost six years ago.

Arriving at Sango's hut the sight that greeted me was not what I was expecting.

"Kohaku, was that Kagome? I can't greet her right now, I'm busy."

"Sango, i'm coming in, and I want to know why you haven't been visiting, plus I have a surprise, that you have to come out and see."

and pushing my way into the hut, I saw Sango, bigger and sitting down, she looked to be about seven months pregnant. So I walked over and put my hand on her stomach feeling the little auras of the babies in her stomach.

"Sango, how long have you been pregnant?"

"five months. Why?"

"Did you ever wonder why you were so big at only five months?"

"I have a big baby, Kagome, what is this about."

"Well, you have two normal sized babies, do you want to know the sex?"

"Wait, two babies? I wasn't ready for two babies, Miroku! We need another crib made, Kagome, do you have any advice from your time? Wait the sex? You can tell me that, right now? Wait I don't want to know. What did you want to show me any ways?"

"One thing at a time, Sango, You and Kikyo will be having babies together and i'm going after Naraku on my own-"

"Are you crazy? I can send Miroku with you!"

"And who would take care of you and the children? Protect the village and your hut when you are stuck in bed? And what if he dies? Who will raise the children then? You need to think about these things, I know you both have revenge to get, and I will set up a barrier so you or Miroku can't leave the village for the next two years."

"Now get up I have to show you my new traveling partner."

and with my help Sango got up from her sitting position on the ground and walked outside, where I had left Entei.

She took one look at him and screamed, loudly getting Miroku outside, who used logic some what.

"Kagome, purify him, do something, that horse is evil!"

"Miroku, Sango, meet Entei, my newest traveling partner. His mate, and kids were killed by Naraku when he was sealed, He wants him dead as much as us, Entei didn't want evil, he wanted power so maybe that power would help him, they never did, he wanted me to be his rider after I killed Hakudoshi, with Sesshomaru's help, i'll be ok. Trust me there is more than just us who want to kill Naraku, I'll get some help. Plus with Entei, Not only can we fly but we can run too, no offense to Kirara but he is the fastest out there, plus I can talk to him the same way I can her. He also protects me"

"Kagome, how will we know if you live through this? How will we know if you die?"

"Go to the god tree if I don't show up for a week after Miroku's wind tunnel is gone, I have an arrow set to fall if I die"

"Kagome, I may be a monk, but I know about Naraku, just because the jewel is gone, doesn't mean he has stopped allowing demons in, he has a way to get stronger. It won't be easy. I want you to be careful, and come back in four months if he is dead or alive, we want you to be the Miko to help us with delivering our baby."

"I promise a Miko's promise, I will be back to deliver your baby. But since you are not coming me and Entei are going to leave to maybe go to Totosai and see if he will be able to have a sword made for me, if not i'll stick with this one."

"Do you want any food, lady Kagome? We have some extra if you should need any."

"Do you guys have any apples? I think Entei is hungry and I would feel bad not feeding him, I have enough food in my pack for a while I dried some rabbit before I left I have enough for if I get hungry."

"You heard her, Miroku, go get some apples!"

"Yes, my love right away."

"Sango, have you been feeling slightly moody lately"

"Well to be honest a little but Miroku understands it all perfectly well and is such a gentle man about it all and he is so forgiving."

"Well, do you want my help on how to control it, just in case it gets any worse?"

"Is it hard? Will it hurt the babies?"

"It's good for the babies and will take some of the stress away and will help them a lot, it will only take a few hours a week."

"Tell me about it please, if you take 30 minutes to an hour a day for meditation you will be happier and the stress on your back from the babies will be gone. Do you know how to meditate?"

"I will try it but, Kagome, I don't know much about how to, can you teach me before you go?"

"Entei, I will be inside for a few minutes, will you be ok out here?"

he just looked at me, and laid down

Sango and I walked into her hut and sat on the ground.

"First, you start in a comfortable sitting position."

I sat with my legs tucked under me and my knees out to my side.

"For you it will probably be crossed legged because of the baby weight on your back, sitting with your legs crossed will help to support them."

She crossed her legs and sat up straight

"Now is the hard part, you have to imagine yourself in your happiest memory with no interruption, at all, nothing to upset you, otherwise you will come out of this feeling worse than you went into it feeling, now close your eyes and imagine, I will pull you out when i'm done too, ok?"

we sat in our meditation, I was pulled in immediately, wich only meant one thing, she was waiting on the otherside.

I felt the peace before I felt the panic, I saw the sun before I saw her. And then I was pulled to here, and the black took over.

When I looked around, I realized, I was not in my happy place but her resting place. Not the resting place of her body, but the resting place of her soul and the souls of all of the demons she took with her, with the help of Kikyo and myself, her and the demons were able to end the battle, she won, but stayed behind as a seer to help me, she came out no more than than once a month.

"Stand, young miko, you will need this help, I am not sure if after this I will be able to visit you again."

pushing myself off of the ground careful of the corpses that littered the area.

I was still not used to the pink glow, the corpses of the demons, or the lack of sunlight. The idea that when she called me, it was into my own soul also had a hand in blowing my mind.

I faced Midorioko and she faced me, we bowed together.

"Now, young one, the fight with Naraku is coming up and quickly. Do not think for one minute that by taking the jewel you have taken his power, You know of how he became a half demon-"

"Yes, by allowing -"

"young one, we don't have a lot of time, you must listen, you can reflect and think when you are out of here, well he is allowing more demons in, getting more power you will never be able to help him with out an Inu-!"

and then I felt it, the gut wrenching feeling of being pulled out of my meditation.

When I opened my eyes I saw Sango with a look of panic on her face.

"Go save Entei!"

with that I grabbed my sword and walked out to see the village hunters surrounding Entei.

"Get away from my horse! What has he done to you? I can't help, Sango. with out you attacking my damn horse?"

"M-miko, we had no clue that this bloodthirsty demon-"

"What has he done to make you call him by such a name?"

"Well he has helped Hakudoshi, to kill innocent people."

"I want you to know if you so much as think about touching my horse, I will fight you as if you were an enemy of mine."

"Is it normal for Mikos to fight?"

"Is it normal for mikos to have the shikon in her? Sango we are leaving remember the meditation, Entei let's go, we have to find a place to stay tonight preferable by a hot spring, I have meditated enough to hear your story"

With that I got on Entei's back and we flew off after around 20 minutes of flying the sun started to set and I could see how fast it was going down, the clouds were preventing me from seeing the colors of the sky during the sun set, maybe tomorrow morning I could see it.

"Entei, will you land if you see a hot spring, or a clearing?"

we both began looking, but I guess it was hard for me because he was going too fast.

After 10 minutes he began descending rapidly, then I saw it, a clearing with a hot spring nearby, perfect for sleeping and maybe I could bathe.

Once we landed I took off my pack and put my hand on Entei's forehead, and let the power flow.

"Tell me about your mate and what Naraku did to her and your child, Entei, if you don't mind. You can of course stop at any time should this get to hard for you or upsetting."

and in my head I saw a white horse who was spotted brown and was slightly smaller than Entei, with nicer eyes. Next to her was a small foal mostly brown with white spots. The bigger horse was laying down while the smaller one played with its ability to spit fire, Then in the forest surrounding the pair, two red dots appeared soon followed by more, with in a matter of minutes the forest had over one hundred pairs of eyes lit up in it. The haunting, hollow sound of Naraku's laughter came into the scene

and soon the all too familiar baboon pelt and face of the puppet were visible with Kagura and Kana at its side.

"You are Entei's mate are you not?"

The larger horse placed herself in front of the foal and backed up, when it happened. The younger horse sensing that his mother was distressed charged at the puppet and the saimyosho all attacked at once and left the young foal there bloody and dead, and went back to the forest.

"Join me, I will get your mate from the place he is sealed."

and with one last look at her fallen foal she took into the sky

"Kagura, bring her back, I want her alive" with that Kagura took out her feather and flew after her

"When Kagura brings her back, Kanna, I want you to take out your mirror and take her soul, command her body to find Entei, once we break the seal, he will join us to save his mate."

as the horse was flying through the sky she stopped and fell, and broke her neck and was killed instantly.

Then the memory stopped.

"Entei, how did you see this? Haven't you been sealed for like, a long time?"

"When horse demons die, we can send our mate the last hour if necessary to show them how we died, and who killed us."

"So, that's why you want him dead so badly. I understand, well because everyone is off starting their families we are the only ones who are going to be able to kill him."

"Young Miko, do tell me what ever became of the jewel of four souls. I knew of its creation, and the miko who created the jewel. Hakudoshi and Kagura spoke of you, the jewel you posses, I am assuming you need it. Am I correct?"

"Well Entei, after I completed the jewel I did the first thing I thought of to keep it safe, I merged it with my soul, and now when I die, the jewel goes too, no more worrying about some one else getting it, or it being put into my reincarnates soul, or any number of things that could happen to it. Once I'm gone its gone for good"

"And do tell me young miko, what if some one similar to Kanna with the ability to touch or take your soul comes up, then what do you do?"

"To tell you the truth, Entei, I have never thought of that. We will take it as it comes. I can't keep this up for tonight and still put the sutras up. Good Night, Entei."

And with that I stood up and motioned for Entei to follow me walking to the hot spring I sat down and stuck my head under water, and let it get wet all the way through.

When that was done I flipped my head up and took out one of my towels, getting it wet and a mild bar of soap I made the towel foamy and stood next to Entei.

"Entei, we have been through a lot today and you are awfully muddy, so I'm going to have to wash you now ok?"

and with that I set to work and began washing Entei, restoring his fur to its previous pure white state. And once I was done I began stripping down to wash myself.

I jumped into the water and began swimming back and forth

after a while in the hot spring I got up and grabbed my clothes taking out my towel I dried off and got dressed leading Entei back to camp I took out the apples that Sango was nice enough to make Miroku get for us and gave it to Entei, I took out some dried rabbit and we ate our dinner, when Entei was done with one apple he grabbed another and ate all of it, soon he had finished the whole bag.

"Entei, didn't your other riders feed you apples? Or did they just leave you scraps? Because if they left you scraps, and even if they didn't I promise to always feed you fresh and delicious food, because you deserve it."

after I had my fill of dried rabbit I took out eight sutras and with the correct spell and some miko boom I threw them all to the trees surrounding this camp sight and laid down. And tried to go to sleep, but the conversation I had with Midorioko was going through my head, Inu what did she mean Inu-Yasha?

I will have to figure it out some other time not tonight and I couldn't go back because it would take too much energy.

So I spent the night meditating if I can't be rested, then my mind could.

I was pulled out of my meditation by Entei at the time that the sun was rising.

With a stretch and a yawn I took down one of the sutras and the rest fell on the ground and turned to ash. That was part of the new spell I had put on them, I put a different one on every night so something different would happen when they fell, some times they left a trap for the next demon who was following me.

Packing up I got on Entei, and we took off towards Totosai, ever since I completed the jewel, he had been a little nicer to me and has helped to find swords or how to make a sword for my miko powers to be channeled through.

When Entei took off I asked him to stay low, in case someone needed help I would be able to hear the scream or call.

And it was a good thing I did, half a mile from the camp there was an ear splitting scream.


	2. Chapter 2

"Lord Sesshomaru! Help!"

and I looked down and saw the not so young Rin surrounded by demons who were all looking to attack,

pulling out my bow and taking out my arrow I took aim and shot hitting one demon and getting all of their attention.

Just because the jewel was no longer sensible demons still recognized the Shikon Miko, now that I was riding on Entei it gave them a reason to leave the Great Sesshomaru's ward alone, Entei and I landed.

"Hey, Entei, would you mind helping out with this fight? Just with not so much fire."

taking out another arrow I put some miko boom into it and took aim and took out one of them and nine more followed closely behind.

With not enough time to shoot I put my bow back and took out my sword. Standing next to Entei I let some of my miko energy swirl around the blade and settle into the metal and it glowed a faint pink, and waited for them to come. When they did I swung the sword and released the energy and took out four of them and they turned to ash immediately after I did that Entei lit two of the other ones on fire and stomped on their heads twice and knocked them over, I stabbed both of them through and killed them and the other two took off.

Entei went after them but I stopped him.

"Why kill something that is no longer after you?"

and with that we left to go find Rin, who had long since abandoned the checkered kimono and was now almost fifteen and dressed like a young woman, and daughter of a lord. Wearing a silk kimono that had a yellow dragon embroidered on the left side, with a sword on her side, that was more than likely for Sesshomaru to think she could protect herself, she was always too nice to kill someone, she was always one for running and getting away from her attacker, or Sesshomaru would come after them.

"Oh, Lady Kagome, thank you so much! Jaken and Sesshomaru left to go somewhere last night and I was ok until just now!"

"Rin, it's no problem, we were on our way to Totosai, and I asked, Entei, to stay low so we could help people who were in danger. Will you let Sessomaru know that he owes me two now?"

"Miko, This Sesshomaru owes you one. Not two or can you not count?"

turning around I was face to chest with Sesshomaru who by the looks of it had been traveling all night. With a new sword for Rin at his side. Looking up I said

"I gave you a new arm and I saved your ward that's two!"

"Miko it is one. You gave me a new arm and I gave you a new sword."

with that he reached to my side and took my sword, and promptly threw it into the air and when it came back down he shot some poison at it and it dissolved into a pile of melted metal, and held out his hand with the sword that I thought was for Rin. It was small, skinny and light, lighter than any other sword I had ever held before.

"Where did you get this sword from?"

"Totosai forged it for me last night. He already had the sword ready and all he needed was a fang, and some hair but I didn't have any of the right persons so I need some of yours, just 3 pieces and wrap them around the blade on the tip, the middle, and the bottom."

pulling out three pieces from the scalp I followed Sesshomaru's instructions. The blade pulsed three times and grew to the size I was used to, but it was much lighter. I swung it a few times and put it at my side under the ribbon I used to keep my swords in, and when I did that it shrunk to the size of a small dagger.

"Miko, it will grow and shrink to what ever size you need it to, without getting heavy, it will remain small enough for you to swing around fast and easy. I presume this will make your fight against Naraku much easier."

"Thank you Sesshomaru. Maybe next time we will have more time to talk, but right now, I need to go and collect my kitsune. Then we will go find Naraku. And then we will kill him."

"Miko, what has caused your scent to change?"

"I don't regularly smell myself. Why?"

"The smell of death is not on you like it is on ever other human, even on a baby the smell if death is present. What have you done?"

"I dunno next time I talk to Midorioko if she is around still, I will ask her."

with that I collected my stuff and got on Entei and Sesshomaru turned on his heel and Rin followed

Entei and I rode until a large village came into view,

"Entei, will you land please, I think I can do some quick work and get us some food."

walking the half mile to the village I was greeted by many strange looks, I hadn't been here before so I was assuming that was why

I had no idea where I would find the village leader or elder, so I stopped the first villager I saw who happened to be a young woman in her 20's

" Excuse me where can I find the village elder?"

"Why would you need him?"

"I'm a traveling miko and have run low on supplies, and I wish to ask him about some work, there may be for a miko in this village, or if any one needs help with their crops."

"Follow me."

and with that we set into the village following a straight path until roughly the middle of the village where a large series of connected homes sat, making a sort of a one story castle.

In the middle was a large archway and that is where I was lead, through a series of doorways and hallways until I was brought to a large open square inside of the building, that had a garden in it with an older woman sitting in side of it.

"She is the elder and the leader of our village, ask her about any work that we may need."

"Ma'am is there any thing I can do to earn some money? I am a traveling miko and I just need to earn some rice and maybe some fruit."

"Tell me miko, why do you have a sword? Don't mikos normally use arrows?"

"Well, I have to have a sword because in the situation I am attacked at my camp I have the ability to defend myself, is there any work to be done here?"

"We need help with our crops and herbs, I don't think any one is in need of any medicinal help, or any healing."

"Alright i'll do it."

and that's how I spent the rest of the day, in the rice fields and helping with the cows.

When the sky began getting darker and the yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds lit up the sky the man in charge of the field I was helping with came out with several bags. He held them out to me with a gesture towards them.

"Thank you miko, you have been much help to us, there is plenty of food to last you at least three weeks in rice and dried meat, and to the end of the week in fruit. If you are ever in the area again, we will receive you kindly. Good bye."

"Good bye and I will see you again. Have a good time in my absence."

And with that I turned and walked towards where I left Entei.

After leaving the village, Entei and I traveled for eight days and seven nights every night before we would sleep, Entei and I would talk about our pasts.

As the sun was setting and Entei was getting close to landing for the night I stopped him.

"We are almost there if we keep going we will be there before night fall."

after I had completed the jewel, Shippou had left the group, vowing that when the fight with Naraku came around he would be more helpful in the fight. He went and joined the kitsune school, and took up training in swordsmanship its been a while since I last visited him, but when I did he had grown from being small enough for me to carry, to being the same size as Rin was when Sesshomaru had found her.

'It's a good thing he's so small I would be afraid to have too much weight on Entei'

when I was pulled out of my thoughts the school had come into view

"Entei, you see the building up ahead that's where we are going I think they have a stable so you have somewhere to stay tonight."

after about five minutes we had arrived at the school.

Knocking on the door I was greeted by a young kitsune girl, who had two low pigtails that had bright fire red hair coming out, they were rather short so it was more like pig puffs instead of pig tails, her face was chubby and she had freckles running across her nose and her right cheek, when she answered the door she first looked up at me then behind me at Entei. Then she started to yell. When that happened a few things happened at once, all of the lights turned on, several foots steps could be heard coming from all directions and the door was promptly slammed in my face, and then a few seconds later was opened to reveal Shippou, who was now up to my ribs, with a pony tail that went mid back. His clothes were the same, just a bigger version.

"Kagome!" he rushed up to me and hugged me "I missed you so much! How long are you staying this time?" and he looked up at me with his big eyes, and Entei huffed, letting out a blast of heat, Shippou peeked his head slowly around my legs and saw Entei looking down at him, and he slowly looked back up at me.

"Hey, Kagome, did you know that the evilest, meanest demon horse ever is right behind you?"

"Of course I did, but he's not so mean, he's the one who's been helping me get here. And tomorrow, when we leave, we will be riding on him."

"We're leaving tomorrow? But that's so soon."

"We have to get this done as soon as possible, I don't want this fight to still be going when Kikyo has her baby, I would prefer it done before Sango has hers."

"They are having babies?"

"Yes, we can talk about this tomorrow," When his eyes began filling up with tears I started to feel bad, " Maybe the day after tomorrow we can leave so you can have a chance to say goodbye and I can show you something cool and introduce you to Entei, speaking of him do you guys have a stable or somewhere we can keep him tonight? I don't want him to be lonely"

"We do have a stable, but i'm not sure he will be allowed there, sorry, Kagome, maybe he can just sleep somewhere else tonight?"

"Not with out me, he is my friend and will be treated as such. If he can't stay here tonight then him and I will make camp nearby, goodnight, Shippou, I will see you in the morning."

and with that Entei and I made our way into the surrounding forest and made our camp.

When I fell asleep, I felt the two pulses and the tug, bracing myself for it I closed my eyes ,and I was pulled in when I opened my eyes I saw a very angry Midorioko looking down at me.

"Miko, why have you not gotten the help of an inu yet?"

"I wasn't sure who you meant, so I went and got Shippou, I was waiting until you pulled me in to explain who you were talking about."

"Any inu will do, you already know two of them, so pick from them, don't try to make a new ones acquaintance we do not have that kind of time."

and with that I was pushed out if the jewel and saw a sleeping Entei and the sky was still dark. So I fell asleep.

Several hours later I woke up to Entei nudging my face and the sky getting lighter. Assuming Shippou was still asleep I went to do what I haven't had time to do yet.

Pulling down the sutras and pulling out my sword, it transformed into a simple katana, swinging it a few times I held it down at my side like Inu-Yasha does when he holds his sword, it pulsed three times and grew to be a long as his but not as awkwardly shaped.

'does this thing have to stay as skinny or can it get wider?"

thinking of a Chinese broad sword it pulsed twice and shrunk then pulsed again and grew to be as wide as one. All while staying the same weight.

Sitting on the ground I tucked my right leg in and streched my left leg out and leaned my body towards my left foot and pulled my self so my face was on my knee, I counted to forty five and did the same for my right leg. Crossing my legs I reached my arms above my head and leaned over my legs with my face on the ground. When I was done with that I crossed my chest with my right arm and held it with my left then did the same for my left arm.

After my morning stretches I stood up and grabbed all of my belongings and started walking towards the school with Entei trotting behind me.

Knocking twice on the door I waited for some one to answer the door. When they did it was the same little girl from last night.

"Hello, i'm here to get Shippou."

"Why is the mean horse with you?"

"He's not mean, he used to be mean, but now he's my friend. Is Shippou ready?"

and with that he came down the stairs with all of his friends telling him to 'come back soon' and to 'be safe'.

"Why are you here so early, Kagome? I thought you said tomorrow I didn't know you meant in the morning."

"I didn't originally mean this early but she visited again, we have to get Inu-yasha or Sesshomaru to help us, and Inu-Yasha is out of the question because Kikyou is having a baby soon. So, we have to find Sesshomaru then kill Naraku, it should take no more than two months, we have, Entei and he is very fast, we made it almost from Edo to here is eight days with sleeping at night."

"Is he hungry?"

"He might be do you guys have any fruit or vegetables? He likes both but I think he has a preference to apples." at the mention of apples Entei began sniffing and licking Shippou.

Shippou turned around and went inside after shooting a glance at Entei, and he when he came out he had a bag of apples in his hand.

"Do you want to feed him one?"

both sets of eyes lit up, Entei's at the idea of being fed, and Shippou's at the idea of being able to feed Entei.

"Will he bite me?"

"No! I told you he's nice."

and with the first bite of apple from Shippou's hand a friendship began to form, one based on feeding and being fed.

"We don't have time for this, right now we have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it."

"What do we have to do, Kagome?"

"We have to go back to Edo, I have a few things to ask Inu-Yasha, and Kaede. Then we have to find Sesshomaru, then I just have to convince him to leave Rin at his home and come with us to kill Naraku, then we just have to kill Naraku, then you can go back to school."

"What about you, Kagome? Where will you go? What will you do?"

"I'll decide that later, right now we are focused on the important stuff."

And with that I helped Shippou sit in front of me on Entei, and we began our ten day trip back to Edo.

On the ninth day as we were laying down to camp and I had finished setting up my barriers, the forest outside flooded with miasma and the baboon pelt came first followed by the laugh, then the face, then last of all the message he had sent with it.

" Silly miko, you thought when you killed Hakudoshi, that you had blocked him off from me, but tell me, how many other mikos can use that much power. When you get back to that village, there will be one person missing, the one human you valued above all others. Have fun."

and with that his face went first, then his baboon pelt and then finally his laugh, it chilled us all though to the bone, made us shudder then made me and Shippou think about the same person, Kaede.

And then I felt the bead I had taken off of Inu-Yashas rosary pulse and then it began to glow. When I held it I heard Inu-Yasha calling me to come back as quickly as I could, in the back ground I heard Kikyou crying

"Entei, I know you might be tired but I need for you to rush as fast as you can with us on you back to Edo, it's important."

Shooting an arrow out of the barrier I had purified a large section of the miasma. Now all I needed to do was create an area large enough to take down my sutras and allow Entei room to get off of the ground before the miasma got to where we were. Sitting on Enteis back and grabbing a sleeping Shippou and putting him in front of me. I began the process of clearing out the miasma, it took about 5 minutes to get rid of enough. Throwing a small rock at the first sutra. And knocking it down Entei took off towards Edo. The closer we got the quieter it became, first the frogs stopped, then the owls, and the crickets, and when I thought it couldn't get any quieter the wind stopped playing through the trees, the forest was silent for the first time since I have been here, the only sounds were Shippou's breathing that could be considered snoring, and the sound of Entei's breathing.

The longer Entei traveled the faster he went until the trees below us were a green blur and I had to hold on to Shippou to prevent him from falling off.

'I need to get something to make it easier if we ever need to go this fast again', after an hour of travel we had gone what would have taken us a day, we were nearing the village, and the sight made my heart stop. The village itself had no damage done, it was the hut that stood alone set away from the village that had been burned, not down just the roof was gone and the sides had sustained some damage to them.

"Entei, to the damaged hut, please."

when we got to the hut Inu-Yasha came out sword drawn ready to fight, looking at Entei.

"Puppy, if you attack my horse I won't forgive you." I taunted him from the horse to see his reaction.

"Kagome? You are the one on Entei, what happened to Hakudoshi?"

"I killed him, what happened here? Is Kikyou ok? I heard her crying, what happened?"

"Kagome, Kikyou is fine, it's Kaede who won't make it through the night."

" Where were you?"

"We were out getting things to finish our house when Naraku came, he shot her through the shoulder and, she was really calm, she said for us not to worry, that you would be here before she passed, and that it was all supposed to happen like this, and that everything would be o.k. I'm not even sure what he did to kill her, it was just a shoulder wound."

"Inu-Yasha, she is older and these things take a toll on her body, it's not like when these things happen to you and you take a couple weeks slow and he could have easily poisoned her. Now have you said your goodbyes?"

"No I haven't I'll go do that now."

and with that he turned around and walked back towards the roofless hut, when he went inside, I sat down and thought about what I was going to say to her. Fifteen minutes later a tearful Inu-Yasha came back from the hut and sat down next to me.

"You'd better get in there soon, Kagome, we're loosing her, and quickly."

by the time he had finished his sentence, I was up and on my way to the hut.

Walking inside made me think about how old she really was. Her walking stick was laying next to her bed, tipped away from the bed. Dust was covering the things that were higher up on the shelves. The fire didn't provide the comforting glow that it had before because the roof was gone, and the messed up walls gave the hut an eerie glow.

"Kagome, is that you? Child, come in, I can't see at all right now, it is almost time for me to leave this world. You need Sesshomaru to destroy Naraku, don't let Inu-Yasha leave Kikyou right now. Naraku's human heart desires her for his own. Now with her carrying Inu-Yasha's child it gives him the insentive to come after her."

"I want you to know, Kaede, that throughout the whole time I have been here, before and after the well closed, you have been like a second mother to me and I will miss you when you go."

"Kagome, I don't want you to stay when they bury me, you need to leave when I do. I only say this because you are running out of time to kill Naraku, and if you wait much longer he will get stronger that he was before he lost the jewel. I have loved you like I would my own child, Kagome."

after a few minutes in a comfortable silence she had a coughing fit, blood started coming out her mouth when she coughed. And Kikyou came in. I left to go find Inu-Yasha.

"Where does Sesshomaru stay? And how do I find him?"

"Why do you want to know where that bastard is?"

"I need his help, he's my only option for defeating Naraku at this point."

"Well why can't you take me with you to kill him? I'm just as good if not twice as good as him."

"Inu-Yasha, who did Onigomu love before he allowed the demons into his heart? Who is he still after? You need to stay here to protect not only Kikyou but the village too, and what about your child? Do you want Kikyou to have to explain to it why his father is gone?"

"Go directly to the west, if he is not there then he is out patrolling, if that's the case, wait there for a few days or go around the border of the western lands. I want you to come back here when Naraku is done for. I want to see how well you can fight with your new sword."

"How far west should I go?"

"It should only take two of three days on your horse, but keep an eye out for him on the ground. He might be taking Rin around to show her the different villages and people."

"Two or three days walking?"

"It would take me two or three days if I ran."

"So it should only take us one day. Do you have apples?"

"Why do you want apples?"

"They are Enteis favorite, I think he would be fine with any sort of fruit, I don't know if he likes vegetables other than carrots. I need them to feed him as we are going along, I don't know how often we will be able to stop and get food from villages when we are traveling with Sesshomaru."

Inu-Yasha led me over to where they had their storehouse of food and gave me a small bag to fill up with food for Entei and I. For Entei I took out dried apples, carrots, and some nuts, for Shippou and myself I took out an assortment of dried meats and more dried fruits, these were primarily for if we couldn't find anything to eat for the night.

"Entei!"

after I had shouted his name, the awkward ringing reminded me of how silent the night had been before I disturbed it by yelling.

While I waited for Entei to arrive I got ready to talk to him about going out tonight to Sesshomarus castle. The faint pink glow coming from my hand made the ground look eerie and made the small rocks cast long shadows that led into the darkness surrounding my hand. When Entei got within my arms reach I put my hand between his eyes.

"Entei are you too tired to go to the castle of the west tonight?"

"Kagome, you must stop thinking of me as one of your friends, and not as the horse who can go for days without stopping to eat."

"Entei, I don't want to make you feel like I'm using you. Well if you're ready to go we can, I got us some food in case the hunting is slow. And if you don't mind, I would like to get there as fast as possible."

"It's no problem for me, Kagome, we will be there before tomorrow."

After that I removed my hand and went and found Shippou, who was telling Inu-Yasha about all of the things he will show him when we get back from killing Naraku.

"Shippou, we need to go."

"But we just got here. Aren't we staying for the burial?"

"She didn't want us to, she knew we are running out of time. Now say goodbye, we should be back in a few weeks."

With his head and tail down Shippou walked towards Entei and pulled himself up to sit right in front of where I would sit.

"Goodbye, Inu-Yasha."

"You never say goodbye, only see you later."

"Well this time I'm not so sure. Shippou will come here after wards no matter what, if I don't come back in a few days after, will you take him to the kitsune school? He won't want to miss too much if it can be avoided."

"Don't talk like that, Kagome, you'll be back, I know it."

"Well I'm not sure. If something happens I'm pretty sure your brother will try to use his sword, but if that doesn't work then every one will be fine."

climbing onto Entei, directly behind Shippou, Inu-Yasha handed me my bag and Entei took off towards the western lands, and Sesshomarus home.

With Entei running fast over the trees and the only sound is the wind rushing past my ears, I finally let realization that the woman who helped to turn me into the person I am today, is gone, and that the people that I had surrounded myself with since the beginning and who I considered to be my family once the well had closed, were all moving one and I was really going into this fight with Shippou, Entei , and Sesshomaru, I was feeling all of the emotions that had built up over the past few weeks hit me at once, and it was too much, I broke down.

Crying for the friends that in a few weeks I might not see again, and that Shippou will outlive me and will have to live most of his life alone.

For the fact that I might not be able to keep my promise to Sango.

And because the only real experienced fighter that I can get to help me is a stranger, a great fighter but an emotionless stranger.

But then it hit me, all of the people I had to leave behind are living happy lives, and Shippou will grow into a happy adult and will find someone to make a little family with and they will all be happy, and by getting rid of Naraku, i'll make it safer for Sangos children to live safe lifes. Looking down at Shippou I realized he was not longer the little kit who would ride along with me on our journeys and sit on my shoulder he was growing up and was old enough now to understand how dangerous the fight was going to be, the good news in all of that is he will finally be old enough now to know when he needs to run.

Pulling fourth a small amount of power I rubbed Enteis head and down his neck to give his muscles a little break from all of the running he had been doing that after doing it for about five minutes I stopped to rest and he sped up. Sitting up straight and focusing I put a barrier around us that would keep us protected from any body who wished to do us any harm.

Closing my eyes I let myself relax into the steady motion of Entei running towards the west and focused on regaining my powers and keeping them at the surface, while also keeping my emotions in check and thinking about how I was going to get Sesshomaru to help me with something he wants nothing to do with. Relaxing into the rocking I was lulled off into a light sleep, thinking about what would be at the castle.

I was pulled out of my sleep by Entei landing on the ground and the sun just coming up over the horizon. In front of us stood a large three story castle made of all white, with a large solid fence standing around ten feet tall, easily jumped over, obviously protected by a barrier. The fence itself made a square around the perimeter of the grounds, and where it went to close off was a gate with two soldiers standing in front of it and I felt as many as fifty patrolling the grounds. Seeing this I was sad that I was sleeping when we were flying above it, I wish I had been able to see the grounds.

When something sharp stabbed me in the side I was pulled out of my musing to see the two castle guards in front of me and the other ones making their way over to us.

"State your business at the castle, woman."

"I'm here to see Sesshomaru. Where is he?"

"_Lord_ Sesshomaru will not be seeing you today, he doesn't make time for humans. Talk to the lord of your land if you are having problems."

"I don't have a village, I'm the miko of the Shikon and I need to see Sesshomaru about Naraku. Now where is he?"

"I don't believe someone as weak as you would be the Shikon Miko."

Taking out my sword and making it Tetsusaiga sized and swinging it a few times through the air

"Look here, we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way, take me to Sesshomaru

"You might not be took weak. Sesshomaru is with his ward. Follow me."

Looking up I caught a look at the guard who was talking to me, He was tall, he had long black hair down to his waist, and a young cheeky face letting me know he was in the demon equivalent of his early twenties. His uniform matched the other guards, dark blue with a long sword on his hip that touched the ground with the tip, he stood about 6'2'' he was an Inu demon

"What's your name, Miko."

"My name is Kagome, what is yours, guard?"

"Daitaro, is my name, so tell me, Kagome, how did you come to be a young kitsunes mother? And the rider of Entei"

"Well ,Daitaro, the kitsune, his name is Shippou, he's the red ball of fluff sleeping on Entei," I pointed back to show him Shippou "Him and I met when I was collecting jewel shards with Sesshomarus brother Inu-Yasha, you know of him, right? Well any ways Shippou wanted the jewel shards so he could kill the thunder brothers, they killed his parents. And recently I killed Hakudoshi, who was one of Naraku's creations and Entei chose me as his rider, and I will remain that way until I die or he chooses a mate."

"How did you become Miko of the Shikon? Were you chosen by the last miko before she died?"

"I was born with the jewel inside of me."

"Daitaro, who is that you are speaking to, and why are you not guarding the front gate?"

Before Daitaro could open his mouth to speak, I stopped him "Sesshomaru, I need a favor, sorry i'm dirty and I probably don't smell so great, a lot has happened in the past couple of days and we really need your help."

after that, due to stress, both emotional and physical, fatigue, and hunger, I passed out on the ground, no doubt squishing the flowers that Rin had planted.

Thump … Bump... Thump... Bump... Thump... Bump

'Breath Kagome."

Thump.. bump. Breath … thump.. bump.. breath

my left hand curls then my right hand, they both feel something soft underneath me.

My left hand reaches for my sword, only to make contact with my skin.

When the realization that my sword is gone and my clothes are gone too, I open my eyes and sit up quickly the combination of the two causing a bad reaction and my head to pulse a few times from the loss of blood I fell back down with my eyes closed to have my head hit a soft feathered pillow. Opening my eyes I see that the room is dark, it's got to be around midnight and I can't go any where because I don't have my clothes and I don't know where I am, the only thing I even want right now is to find a hot spring or a lake, and take a bath, and eat.

Scooting myself up slowly until I was sitting upright I swung my right leg over then my left placed my hands, palms down on either side of me and pushed myself up to standing position.

Grabbing the thin blanket that was sitting on the end of the futon I wrapped it around my body, it was an end blanket and only went to my knees.

The door got pushed open quickly and a flash of silver and white came in and I was back on the bed with Sesshomaru glaring at me.

"Miko, what have you done to your self over the last few days?"

"I can't sleep very well at night, so I meditate, and last night I didn't get a good chance to do that last night, Kaede died, I had to go from my place in the woods about a days walk from Inu-Yasha's village we went there, she told me to leave and find you, Midorioko wanted me to ask for your help, but then I didn't get to say goodbye, I had to leave before she was buried we had to hurry here and find you before you left, I didn't get to eat before she died, I fought Naraku's puppet..."

After this I couldn't talk any more, I felt guilty, Kaede wouldn't have died if I just finished Naraku when I had the chance to. I could have prevented this.

"Miko! You will cease this nonsense now! What do you need me to help you with?"


	3. Chapter 3

I Hiccuped then coughed, sniffed and wiped my eyes before I spoke.

"I need your and any one else's help I can get to kill Naraku and his army."

"No, this is a humans war. I will have no part in it."

"What do you mean this is a humans war? Who do you think he has fighting for him? He sure doesn't have humans doing all of the work. When he gets the jewel from me, what do you think he's going to do, sit back and relax with the jewel? No, he's going to try to take over demons territory. And he's not going to stop. I just want to end this, then after the fight, you can forget about this and I will live out my life and try to find my way home."

"We will leave when you are well. Rin will stay here, can the Kit fight?"

"I really, couldn't tell you if Shippou can fight, this is the first time I have had any time with him in a while, Entei can fight."

"I know the horse can fight, have you figured out the sword yet? I will find out if the kit can fight in the morning, I will be here at the first light of dawn to wake you up and make sure you have been staying up on your training, we will stay here while you heal, and make sure we are ready. We will talk about battle tomorrow before dinner."

and with that he left and behind him a servant came in with a small plate of fruit and set it down by my side, on the empty side of the bed. I reached over and grabbed an apple and ate it down to the core and continued with a second apple. After my small meal I laid down, closed my eyes, and fell into my first peace full sleep in a few weeks.

I dreamed of my time, or what used to be my time. My mom, brother, and grandfather were talking to me about how proud of me they were and how well I had done in school. We were looking over the scholarship applications and I had been given several full rides to medical school. I could finally be a doctor, and help all of the people who needed it. The house was cleaner than it had been the last few times I had been home, and my mom wasn't so stressed out. But then the room got cold

"Miko, wake up and cover yourself now!"

opening my eyes I noticed that I had taken off the blanket that was keeping me covered in my sleep.

"Where is my stuff, Sesshomaru?"

"It's being washed and repaired, when you bathe it will be ready for you."

"Well where can I bathe, I've never been here before. I'm tired of smelling this badly."

and with that Sesshomaru stood up and left the room

"Miko, I suggest if you wish to bathe you will follow, This Sesshomaru."

so I kept pace with him the best I could in my short blanket, passing down several hallways and down stairs until we reached the first level he led me through a large set of doors until we were finally in the hot springs.

Walking to them I opened my blanket and sunk myself into the hot spring while keeping my back covered, because I didn't know if Sesshomaru had left or not.

After relieving the tension in my muscles and giving myself a chance for the first time in a long time to relax. I soaked my hair to get it wet so I would be able to brush through it when I got out. I stood up and grabbed the blanket that I had covered myself with on our walk here. Once I was covered the door opened and Sesshomaru walked in holding my bag in his hand, under it was a towel, and my clothes folded, cleaned and repaired in the other.

"Miko, my blankets are not to be used as towels."

grabbing my stuff from him and waited for him to leave so I could get ready and we could talk about what we were going to do in the fight against Naraku.

"what are you waiting for, Miko, get dressed."

"Then leave so I can, Sesshomaru."

turning around to leave, he was mumbling something about 'Humans and their odd needs."

Once I was dressed in, what looked like Sango's slayer uniform with black patches under a forest green hakama and an all white haiori. I put my sword at my side and had it transform to a katan that looked like the castle guards. I left the room to walk right into Sesshomarus back, when he didn't move I began poking his back, and that brought me to one conclusion, Sesshomarus back is really well muscled

"Miko, if you continue to molest this Sesshomaru's person, your finger will be removed from your person. Now come, we have a meeting to attened."

"A meeting about what?"

"I am not like the mutt you used to travel with and prefer not to go into battle with out being well prepared"

"So, we are going to have more than me, you, Shippou, Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un?"

"Rin, the kit, and Jaken will be staying here"

"No, Sesshomaru, I told Shippou he can help us fight against Naraku."

"He will be helping, just not in the battle, he will stay here and keep Rin company, he will also keep her from worrying about me. Should the battle arrive here, he will fight along side Rin, Jaken and some of the guards."

"I think he will be ok with that he will be upset about not being able to

"That, Miko, is what this meeting is about"

the rest of the few minute walk was silent we made several turns and went to the second floor into a large room with a table set in the middle with 25 people men, some human, some demon, when the door opened every conversation stopped and all heads turned our way.

Sesshomaru sat down first leaving an open spot for me to sit down.

One brave man stood up and began shouting about me being here.

"I thought this was a meeting on an impending war, why is the woman here."

The other men stood up in protest, until one demon stood up

"She's not just a woman, she's a miko, Sesshomaru, Why would you have us work with her? I thought we were going to talk of how we are going to take out Naraku and his army, the humans have no business here either we can take them ourselves."

"I am the Miko who guards the Shikon Jewel, The humans here have just as much a right to be here as you demons do. If Naraku has hurt you, think how much he has hurt the human villages."

after that everyone was quiet.

"Who here knows how Naraku came to be?" When no body's hand went up I let out a sigh.

"Ok are any of you interested in knowing how Naraku was made?" After a small pause all but four demons heads began to nod, slowly.

"Well because this meeting is about who's going with us, when we are leaving to go find and fight Naraku I will tell you the story of how this war started, and we will all get to know each other better, and begin to build trust between the humans and the demons."

"Miko, why are you so at ease with us demons?"

"Why shouldn't I be? I spent six years helping demons and humans in this fight with Naraku"

"Well, when are we leaving to fight him?"

"We will leave when lord Sesshomaru is ready to go."

"We will leave at the break of dawn. Men, go say your farewells to your families. This trip will take a few weeks." And when all of the men stood up to excuse themselves

"And be back here when the moon is at its highest point tonight, we will begin our preparations, and see who can fight the best, understood men?"

All of the men repeated a monotone 'yes' back to Sesshomaru. "Now, Kagome, we have a few things to take care of."

I followed him down the hallway and to the play room, where Rin and Shippou were playing a game with eachother.

"Kitsune, Kagome needs to speak with you, and Rin I need to speak with you."

"Are you going to leave so I can tell him or do you plan to do it, Sesshomaru?"

"Rin and I will be leaving, do not take too long, we have preparations to make."

and with a sharp turn of his heel he and Rin left the room. Letting the door close gently behind them

"What did he mean preparations? Shouldn't I be helping too?"

I sat down, crossed legged on the floor and pulled Shippou into my lap.

"No, Shippou, you are going to stay here and protect Rin while we are gone. Sesshomaru feels that if you guys came with us, Naraku would try to take you guys to hurt us. So I said that to keep you safe, you can stay here and keep Rin company, and keep her safe. The castle guards will also be here to keep you guys safe."

"This is no fair! Why does Sesshomaru get to decide if I stay here?"

"Shippou, it's only to keepp you safe, you are still young. I took you out of the school because I didn't know we would need his help. I only want to be sure that at the end of this war, you are ok. And if something happens while we are gone, we need someone to take care of Rin, right?"

"How will I know what's happening to you? Or if you guys need help?"

"Sesshomaru has a whole army ready, some of the best fighters around."

"Well, why didn't you take all of the best fighters around?"

"Because then we wouldn't have anyone to guard you guys now would we?"

"I guess not, Be safe ok Kagome?"

"I will see you when we come back, but tonight I will see if you can sleep in my room so that way I can say goodbye before we leave in the morning. Sesshomaru wants us to train tonight before we leave and we are going to get everything we need ready."

setting Shippou on the ground I stood up and opened the door, to have a crying Rin almost run into me.

And Sesshomaru, glaring at me.

"What took so long? We have things to do." His voice sounding irritated with me for taking too long, and a little sad, that he would have to leave Rin here.

"it was hard to tell her she had to stay behind wasn't it?"

"Must you ask so many questions?"

when we got outside, we walked around to the back of the castle where a large open field was.

Sesshomaru took out one of his swords and charged me. This caused me to panic a little and I froze up.

When he got close to me he pinned me to the ground, by the throat and dug his claws in enough to hurt, badly, and draw blood.

Picking me up off of the ground and holding me so my feet were about a foot off of the ground and I was eye level with him in a calm and slow tone he said to me,

"If you want to live long enough to fight, then I suggest you take out your sword and fight back."

and he threw me, so I hit the ground about 15 feet away and had the wind knocked out of me, and I rolled backwards to avoid Sesshomaru, getting me by the throat again.

"Sesshomaru, I don't want to cut you with the sword."

When he kept rushing at me I did the first thing that came to mind, I waited until he got close and kicked him in the gut,

"Did you ever think that if you want the sword to do something it will do it, why would it not have a dull edge if you needed it to? But you better be able to do what you need while defending yourself."

and he started swinging his sword towards me. So I took mine out and turned it into a training sword.

I swung and got him in the ribs, and while he was recovering I took the tie off my hakama and let them fall to the ground, my over clothes were hard to fight in and always got in the way.

I also took off my haiori and let if fall off my shoulders to the ground.

Sesshomaru and I continued to fight for a few hours. During our fighting, I learned that we both play on separate strengths, he fights using as much of his power to knock down the enemy as he can, and I try to tire them out.

"You don't fight bad, miko, but you could use a lot of improvement, you leave yourself too open for attack, while we are traveling to find Naraku I will train you and help you to improve your fighting. Now go collect your kit and get some sleep, I will take care of getting the food we need. Is there anything you require?"

"Will you get some apples, lettuce, and carrots for Entei? And some dry meat will be fine for me."

"Is there anything else?"

"No, i'm ok. Am I staying in the same room that I was in when I woke up?"

"Do you remember where it is?"

"Yes, it's on the first floor, not too far from the stairs, right?"

After he nodded his head I turned around and began going back to his castle, when I walked inside all of his workers were running around with food and supplies bringing them outside, bringing things inside, so on my way up to my room I just tried to stay out of peoples ways. When I got to my room, Shippou was already there laying in my bed asleep. I walked over to the small bag I carried and looked for my night shirt that I kept for when Shippou was with me, after a few minutes of looking through the small bag I came to the conclusion that, my shirt was no longer with me. I had to stay in the clothes that I trained and fought in.

Walking over to the bed I picked up Shippou, who half opened one eye and lazily closed it again when he saw that it was just me, and I laid down on top of the blanket and fell asleep snuggled with Shippou.

"Miko... wake up... Miko... wake up"

"It's too early I just want to sleep."

"Kagome, wake up, Sesshomaru doesn't look hapy." a very groggy sounding Shippou said to me as he was trying to wake me up faster by shaking me. When I opened my eyes Shippous green eyes were the first thing I saw, and standing behind him Sesshomarus golden eyes were glowing in the moonlight that was leaking in through the window.

"It's time to go meet the soldiers, isn't it?"

"Yes, we must leave so we can be there before them. You have ten minutes, ready or not i'm coming back in here and dragging you down there myself, understood?" before I could reply he left the room closing the door quietly behind him.

"I'm going to miss you, if you need anything, or if the castle is getting attacked, hold this and think of Inu-yasha let him know where you are and that you need help. And either him or myself will be able to reach you. If we can't I want you and Rin to get on Ah-Un and ride to Edo, Inu-yasha and Kikyo should be able to help you. And if nothing like that happens while we are gone teach Rin how to write, Sesshomaru might be impressed when he comes back."

With one last hug, I gave Shippou a piece of the rosary that used to belong to Inu-Yasha, grabbed my bag and reached for the handle of the door. Right when my hand closed around the nob to the door, it was pulled open and Sesshomaru grabbed me by my upper arm and began walking quickly towards the court yard, where the men had arrived early, and some brought as many as four more men with them.

I pursed my lips together and sucked air in to create a high pitched whistle that would let Entei know I wanted him to come to me. Within seconds, the demons heads were all following Entei as he flew down and landed next to me. Letting the now familiar power come to my hand I went to place it on Enteis head when a snake demons hand slapped my hand away from his head.

"Miko, do not presume that because you guard the jewel that Entei will not kill you for trying to purify you."

"Do not assume that because I am a miko, all I wish to do is purify demons. Now, let me talk to my friend."

refocusing and gathering the power again, I placed it on Enteis head.

"Entei, we are leaving at dawn, if you wish to go eat grass, or rest, or have a bath, let me know so I can have it arranged for you ok?"

" I wish to stay here with you, I want to make sure you are safe in this hoard of men."

"Well then get comfortable because I'm going to tell my whole story, even the parts you haven't heard."

With that said I closed the connection

And after that Entei laid down behind me.

"Those of you who wish to hear the story of Naraku and the Shikon, and how those tie in with me can come sit or stand in front of Entei and me. Those who don't can go with Sesshomaru and do a little training before we go."

after most of the demons left and all of the men stayed sitting in front of me.

"Ok, so before I start, this story will last a long time, it might even last until we leave but it shouldn't last longer than that and if it does i'll continue to tell it before we go to bed at camp tomorrow so the story starts fifty-six years ago with a human man named Onigomu and a young priestess named Kikyo. Onigomu had been burned, badly and Kikyo had found him, while she was taking care of him, he fell in love with her. But she had already given her heart to a young half-demon, Inu-Yasha. Onigomu thought that to get Kikyo to love him, he had to become a half-Demon, so he allowed many lesser demons to enter his body, he absorbed them to try to gain the love of Kikyo. But when he found her, she rejected him, and told him of Inu-Yashas promise to her. Because Kikyous life had been devoted to guarding the jewel, and her wish on the jewel would have turned Inu-Yasha into a human, and they would have lived out a happy life together. Onigomu, or now Naraku, had different plans for the two young lovers. On the day they were going to meet to make their wish, Naraku made himself look like Kikyou who told Inu-Yasha that she didn't want to see him any more, and he would always be stuck being a worthless half-Demon, Inu-Yasha loved Kikyo enough to know that she would never say the mean things that were said. Then after that plan fell through he took Kikyo and tricked her, When Inu-Yahsa got to Kikyo Naraku had already gone through with his plan and Kikyo shot an arrow through Inu-Yashas heart. The last thing he saw before he was forced to sleep, was Naraku make Kikyo fall to her death off of a cliff. On my 15th birthday, I was leaving for school, 500 years in the future from now, I was looking for my cat in our well house and I fell down the bone eaters well, it's on the land that my family keeps. I woke up madame Centipede on my way down, and I saw Inu-Yasha with the arrow, as soon as I touched it, It vanished out of his chest after that he saved me from the centipede, and the jewel was inside of me, a crow demon took it so I grabbed a bow and arrow from Kaede, and shot the jewel, shattering it. Then Inu-Yasha and myself set out to find all of the shards, that's how I found out that I am Kikyos reincarnation. Along the way we met a demon slayer named Sango, a monk named Miroku, they are now expecting a baby soon, Shippou a fox demon, he's sleeping in the castle. 2 years ago, I completed the jewel and we thought the fight with Naraku would be easy, but he has been getting an army together, and one year ago, the well that allowed me to travel between this time and mine closed. I haven't seen any of my family since a few weeks before the well closed. And a few weeks ago, I killed Hakudoshi, Entei's previous rider, and he let's me ride him now. Two nights ago the miko who trained me, Kaede, was killed by Naraku. So are there any questions?"

"Kaede, died?" a young man with short brown hair that was tied back in a low pony tail stood up, looking more than a little pissed off.

"Did you know her?"

"Yes, she would always come to my village when I was young and help our mikos with their training, and she would bring extra food in case we were running low. She also stopped by in the spring and summer to make sure our food was planted correctly and would produce a good crop in the fall."

"If you're from the future, shouldn't you know what's going to happen to all of us?" a man who looked to be in his early thirties stood up and yelled.

"Men, and Miko, it's time to start leaving."

I turned around and poked Entie, who had fallen in to a light sleep behind me, when he stood up, I took out on of the apples I had in my bag that was pre-cut so he wouldn't have to eat the seeds, and gave him a few pieces of it before I got on his back, and followed all of the men out of the grounds and towards Edo, Naraku was hiding in the mountains that were on the other side, was my idea. I knew it would take us at least a day to Edo, and four more to get to the halfway point between edo and the mountains.

So we would have at least nine days of traveling to get close to Naraku, then we would have to figure out where he was.

I was pulled out of my thinking when all of the men in front of Entei and I stopped, turned around and looked at me.

"Where are we going, Miko?" Sesshomarus flat voice called out from the other side of the men.

"Well, uh... we're going East.."

"By 'Where are we going?' I meant get up here and lead us."

So Entei jumped over all of the men, and began walking.

"Entei, we are going back to the village from a few nights ago, do you remember where that is?"

When he let out a huff of breath and altered his course slightly, I knew we were going in the right direction.

Looking to my left I realized that Sesshomaru was wallking next to Entei and I.

After a small argument between the humans and the demons on how fast we should set the pace of walking we settled into a comfortable pace that would get us to the mountains a little slower than I had planned, but we would be there in about two weeks.

With no attacks on our party all through the day we made camp that was a short distance away from a river.

When I grabbed my stuff to go get cleaned up in the river. When Sesshomaru grabbed my arm and pulled me back

"Where do you think you are going?"

"I'm going to the river to to get clean, why?"

"Bring the horse with you and don't trust the men."

And after that he let go and walked off to go sit underneath a near by tree. While Entei and I went to go take a bath.


	4. Chapter 4

After my refreshing, yet cold bath with Entei as my guard, I began scrubbing Entei down to get the mud off his hooves and underbelly. As I was drying off my hair one of the demons that came at Sesshomaru's request came out of the woods.

"So, woman, you think some one such as yourself can defeat my master?"

"What do you mean 'Your master' who are you?"

"I'm one of the demons that Naraku sent out to kill you-" and before he could finish the sentence the tip of Tokijin was visible through his upper chest when it was then forcibly pulled through his sternum and out, when the body fell on the ground, quickly creating a pool of blood, a very pissed off Sesshomaru was visible.

"Can you do the smallest things, with out getting in trouble?"

"Were you spying on me?"

"No, I would never lower myself to spying on a human, I saw him leave camp and head in this direction, I figured it would be best to follow him."

"Well, thank you because I left my sword back at camp and it would have been hard to defend myself with out it. C'mon Entei! Let's go back to camp so I can set up the barrier."

"What barrier are you speaking of, Miko?"

When I didn't respond he continued asking the same thing.

"Maybe if you addressed my by my name, I would answer the first time you asked. But i'm going to surround the camp with a barrier to make sure no one can get in, or out at night, so the men better have their business taken care of."

"What business might the men have at night, that needs taking care of?"

"You know, bathroom business."

And with that we arrived back at camp.

"Alright men, If you need to use the bathroom then do it now, you all have ten minutes to be back here and where you plan on sleeping, when you get back here, you will not be allowed to leave, or if you are late, enter the barrier I will set up. Understand?"

When most of the men left Daitaro came up to me

"Lady Kagome, what happened to Inu-Yasha after you left?"

"Well he is with his mate, and they are expecting their first child."

"He moved on after Lady Kikyou?"

"Kikyou is alive again. A few years ago, a witch tried to steal my soul to bring Kikyou back, but she only manged to get part of it, and recently I was able to take my sould and parts of the other ones she has been stealing to create a soul for her so she could continue to live with Inu-Yasha, with the new soul her powers were able to create a stable body for her self."

When all of the men had returned and settled down in their spots I walked the perimeter of the group and put enough sutras up to keep a solid barrier up through out the night, standing in the middle I recited the incantation and felt the energy leaving my body and going to protect the group I was traveling with.

Once the camp had settled down, I tucked my legs under and began meditating to calm the restlessness that had invaded with the incident from earlier.

And two pulses later Midorioko had pulled me into the jewel.

"Kagome, the Kami have decided to grant you a favor, after you defeat Naraku, I will tell you what they have decided, that will be the last time you will hear from me. The jewel will disappear and it's power will be free for you to access. You will need to call on my power to defeat Naraku."

"What will happen to the jewel when I die?"

"It will cease to exist."

"Do you know if the well will open again?"

"I know for certain, that it will remain closed. I'm sorry." After that I was pushed out of the jewel and also forced out of my meditation when I felt a very powerful stare boring into my head when I peeked my eyes open I realized the moon had gone relatively high in the sky, also there happened to be a demon lord studying me.

"Do you not sleep, Kagome?"

"Not tonight, I'm restless after almost getting attacked. Thanks for killing him though. I figure that tomorrow it would be best to move out quickly to prevent Naraku from finding us before we are ready."

"How quickly do you wish to move out?"

"Breakfast will be eaten at dawn, after that we pack and leave. We need to stop by Edo when we get close enough Entei and I will go ahead and get what I need, then we will come back and meet you guys ."

"What is Edo?"

"It's the village by Inu-Yashas forest. You don't know of it?"

"I did not think my brother had a forest named after him. How did it come to be known as such?"

"Inu-Yasha was pinned to a tree in the forest for fifty years, didn't you hear the story of him and Kikyo? What did you think he was doing for the fifty years that he was pinned to the tree?"

"Inu-Yasha and I had not spoken for 150 years prior to him being pinned to the tree, even when he was a pup, his whereabouts were none of my concern."

"What about when his mother died? Who took care of him?"

"It was not a personal burden. I told him he was allowed in the fortress of the West, but he refused. So it was none of my business what he did."

"Sesshomaru, I know you hate him because he is a half demon, but that can't be the only reason, what else did he do to make you hate him so much?"

"You are trying to get information that has nothing to do with you and that I have no intention of telling you of." his voice held a little more sting in it than was custom for him, and I knew I struck a nerve.

"Sesshomaru, i'm sorry for attempting to pry into your personal life. Sesshomaru, if I don't make it through this war, can I ask you for a large favor?"

"What is it, Miko?"

"In about 498 years from today, I will need you to give my family the note I have prepared, that explains what happened."

"How will I know it is your family?"

"Higurashi, That's my family's last name, we own a shrine. You know of the bone eaters well?"

"My father built the well to seal Madame Centipede."

"My family's shrine is built very close to the well. Please remember this."

sliding over so I was sitting next to Sesshomaru I handed him a rabbit skin with the message I had sewn into it that was rolled up and tied with one of my hair ties. And he tucked the skin into his shirt

We sat in silence until just before dawn broke and the silence was broken by the camp waking up and the barrier being pulled down, once the men had eaten. We set off walking towards Edo, after the sun had passed the halfway point in the sky groups of three or four would go off, one group at a time and bring back a rabbit or two.

As dusk was falling I stopped all of the men.

"Ok, Entei and I are leaving for tonight, we will be back before the morning but you guys will need to figure out who is watching over camp. And how many groups there will be watching over. I think six men to a group and four groups should do, that way you only miss out on about two hours of sleep. Have a good night and be safe."

with that being said, I left Sesshomaru in charge and climbed up onto Entei and we took off towards Edo.

Not too long after my third year of going back and forth between times, Inu-Yasha, Sango, Miroku and myself had built a shed near Inu-Yashas forest to hold any supplies I wanted to keep with me just in case the well closed and so I could leave stuff for Sango too. But among all of the shampoo, 2-in-1's soaps, conditioners, and brushes, I had hidden one special gift from my mom, she found it among my grandfathers things. After searching in the shed for about fourty minutes I found the large rectangular box underneath most of the other things in the shed. Taking the box out of the shed I inspected the contents of the large metal box, that had a handle to make holding easier. A Large ebony bow that was just short of my body length, and the quiver held 75 arrows. I only meant to use this bow for the final fight. I got on Entei and left Edo only stopping to debate with my self weather or not I would stop and offer a short prayer to Kaede, I decided it would be safer to make my way back to camp.

After Entei and I had been traveling and were to the point where I could see a small orange glow that was the camp fire. The winds changed and a dark blue feather came down in front of me. When the rider opened up her fan and pushed a strong gust of wind and knocked me off Entei I knew I was in trouble. As I was falling I saw Entei fighting with her, trying to get revenge for his mate, and at that moment she disappeared and I hit a tree branch, cutting through my out fit and slicing open my back around to my side. When I hit the next branch down I passed out.

Omniscient POV

After the Wind witch made off on her feather Entei realized that his rider had fallen off and he could only see the white cloth that she wore strung up on one of the trees. With the speed that he was known for, he took off in the direction that he knew Lord Sesshomaru to be in. Carrying Kagome with out help was out of the question.

When Entei arrived at the camp, and no Kagome on his back, the men who weren't asleep took notice. Lord Sesshomaru being one of those who had stayed awake through the night to make sure that no trouble came to the camp.

When the horse walked up and nipped at his hand, began whinning and pulling at Sesshomarus clothing, He stood up ready to punish the horse. When Entei took off, He felt he needed to follow him, something about the horse showing up with out the Miko seemed all wrong to him.

Following the horse into the forest was not a difficult task by far, but when the smell of cucumbers and mint, mixed with the coppery smell of blood hit him full force, he knew he was right in following the horse.

Twenty feet a head of him lay the miko, clutching a large box, and sporting a broken bow and the whole side of her shirt had been torn showing the gash that the tree had created, with blood coming out of the wound and quickly, he rushed over to her side and with out much thought into it; took off her shirt and tore it in two wrapping one half around the wound with the other half covering the wound underneath.

He should have left her in the forest with the horse, and gone back to camp, but something tugged at his heart that made him turn around, pick the girl up and wrap his haori around her, and cradle her close to his body. He didn't sleep, there was something poking his leg through the haori that covered the girl.

Just before sunrise the realization hit him, her bow, she kept it on her back, and shards of it were now embedded into her back. And with that he turned her onto her side, and began the task of pulling each of the slivers of wood out of her back. After the first three she began to wake up and struggle to get out of his arm. He held on to her tighter.

"Get off me, I wanna get up.." and some other gibberish found its way out of the young mikos mouth.

"After the fall you took, If you want to walk around with parts of your bow in your back-"

"My bow broke? How did it get in my back?"

"You were attacked last night on your way back from the village, it was the wind witch. I'm going to assume she knocked you off while Entei was distracted, as for how it got in your back, you landed on your back."

"Damn, that was the only weapon I can use until we get there, and even then, I can't fight."

"Miko, what of the sword I gave you?"

"Well, I was never taught to use one, I just use it to scare your guards to let me into the castle."

"You have been with the half-breed for well over 4 years and he has not taught you to defend yourself close range?"

"His name is Inu-Yasha, he never taught me because, it was never an issue with us. If anything got close enough to hurt me it would fall by either his hand or Sango's"

"The slayer kept a sword, you were never interested in learning from her?"

"Sango always wanted for me to better myself as a miko, because to tell you the truth, I have never been a fan of killing, even in this war, I will only do the necessary amounts of killing. I can heal, cook, and protect, I shouldn't need to fight when they can. But now that our group is broken up, and it's a full war. I guess I need to learn, right? Sesshomaru, will you help me to become a better fighter?"

"Does this Sesshomaru look like a tutor?"

"Well no, but i'm tired of being a problem to everyone around, and always needing help, if I can fight then I won't need that."

"We will start tomorrow and continue every night until we reach Naraku."

"Can we do every other night?"

"I thought you wished to learn, since that is not the case, I will not waste my time."

POV – Kagome

Inching my way off of his lap I opened the metal case I had retrieved from the shed in Kaedes village

and I pulled out one long dark brown arrow, made of oak wood, with markings similar to several sutras on it. I handed it to Sesshomaru. When his fingers clasped the wood, he dropped it, immediately.

"What have you brought, woman?"

"I brought arrows that were given to my mother, they will hold the power of four mikos at once until they are shot into something, then at once they will release all of the power. My mother was a powerful miko and she gave all of these as much as she could, Kaede gave them more, and over the next few nights I will give them everything I can, along with the help of Midoriokos power. They will be the key in defeating Naraku."

When I looked in the case I realized that my mother had lied about how many arrows were in the case. There were supposed to be 25 but she packed 40.

"What makes you so sure that those will be the key to defeating him"

"You couldn't hold one with only two miko's power in it, and you are the strongest demon I have encountered with my power and Midorioko's power added to it, if I shoot the ground everything in range of the blast of unfocused energy, that is demon, will get destroyed. I've got a way to control the first 25. The won't release until the 25th is shot and hits."

Standing up I grabbed the arrows, and turned towards camp.

"If all goes well, we should be there within the week, C'mon Entei, let's go back to camp. The others should be awake soon."


	5. Chapter 5

POV – Omniscient

I changed the POV because for the first few chapters it was what made sense but now it will be a problem if I have to keep changing.

Kagome, followed by Entei, who was followed by Sesshomaru, walked back towards the camp. Upon arriving the trio was greeted by the camp divided into two uneven groups; the humans made up the larger group, while the demons made up the smaller group.

Sesshomaru arrived ad stood next to Kagome, both listening to the argument that was slowly but steadily increasing in volume.

"Sesshomaru, I think to help the divide in the army, you should figure out where the humans are coming from in this and I will go to the demons."

"What sense does it make for one of the ones they are mad at to go talk to them, when one of their own can?"

"Because when someone from the opposing side comes over and tries to understand, they have a better chance of explaining what is going on in their group and why they are mad."

"Well spoken, Miko."

"Thank you, Demon. Now when you get over there I think the humans are upset because the demons are constantly mocking their weaknesses, and how slow they make the group. And The demons are angry because they feel like they don't need the humans for this, and we would be better off with out them."

"That is rather presumptuous of you to feel as though you have pin pointed the cause for dispute, even though you have only been present a short time."

"One thing, Sesshomaru, this argument has been brewing since we left in the group, A demon would push a human, then a monk would burn a demon, then in small bouts, arguments have been breaking out when we set camp, or when they would go hunt. Hell, even hunting turned into a competition, If demons came back with more, they felt like they won, but when the humans came back the next time with the same amount, just faster, the demons call it luck. Do you just not pay attention when we are walking, or at camp?"

"All of this coming from the miko who spends each night in deep meditation?"

"Unlike you, I listen. I think we should get someone out of each group to represent the group and their ideas, and talk to them one on one, and maybe after they have calmed down, I can bring my representative to you and yours and they can talk to ease some of the tension."

"Miko, stop ordering this Sesshomaru, around. I have been more than capable of ruling my lands and settling disputes, this will be no different."

With a stiff turn on his heel Sesshomaru made his way towards the human group while Kagome went to the demons, when Kagome approached the demons, they quieted and stilled.

"I need to speak to who ever you guys think can best voice your concerns and opinions to me, so that we have no more tension in the group."

"No offense to you or Lord Sesshomaru, but this is a small matter and can be ignored, I think it best if we continue on our way to our common goal, then we can go our separate ways."

"This group will not be moving until this is resolved, if you refuse to pick someone I will pick, and if will be Daitaro."

When Daitoaro stood next to Kagome they began to walk into the woods surrounding the area where the group had made camp the night before. When a light pink barrier formed around the pair Daitaro jumped and looked at Kagome.

"I set it up so none of the demons who followed us can hear us or get into the barrier. So Daitaro, tell me why the demons and humans are fighting, if you will."

"The humans are slow, they are weak and they prove no usefulness in the defeat of Naraku."

"In this fight the warriors and archers will prove useful and the monks even more so. They might not be as fast or as strong as you, but their numbers will be over powering, in any fight, for every one demon here there are 4 humans. If we pass by any villages, more might join. You guys think about your own power, but humans we have to group together and that's how we win. Tell me, Daitaro, how many babies are born by a demon couple and how often?"

"We give birth to an average of 3 every 100 years, we need time to train them, teach them our ways, and they must learn to control their powers and fighting instinct."

"Do you know how long humans wait to have children?"

"They wait until they are paired off and mature enough to conceive, then they have as many as they can support."

"Humans only wait about 2 years and can only reproduce until they are around 40 years old. They mature after around 15 years and are ready to fight."

"So humans out number demons, and their numbers will continue to grow, and surpass ours. This does not mean they are greater."

"I am not trying to establish the greater race, just maybe there isn't as much of a difference as you guys think. Demons have strength, speed, and skill. But humans have faster development and their numbers. Now are you ready to go talk to the human that Sesshomaru has been talking to?"

"Two things before we go."

"What are they Daitaro?"

"Why are you wearing our Lord's haiori? And where were you two last night?"

Kagome lifted the side of the haiori to show Daitaro the cuts on her side.

"Last night when I was returning from Edo, Kagura, one of Naraku's detachments attacked me, I fell off of Entei and Sesshomaru found me, and wrapped my wounds with my shirt,and now it's a scratch. And I need a new shirt."

"Are these shirts, from your time? And are they more comfortable than haioris?"

"I'm used to them, but let's go see who Sesshomaru picked."

Daitaro and Kagome walked side by side until they reached the camp site where they left the two angry parties, when they arrived Sesshomaru was standing with a young man, around 5'10'' with short brown hair and a monks staff in his hand.

Sesshomaru and Kagome both turned back towards the llarger group and when they did the young monk had a barrier erected around the two, to prevent any one from getting too close to them, and any of the demons from hearing what they were saying.

When Kagome got back to Entei she opened the case that held her arrows, taking the arrow marked 'one' she held the point in her left hand and the feathers in her right hand she sat down legs crossed under her and she allowed for her powers to flow from her left hand to the tip and Midorioko put her powers through Kagome's right hand.

Sesshomaru had gone into the forest after leaving the two to sort out the problems between themselves. He no longer held anything against the humans, Rin had been enough to show him, not all of them were weak, ill mannered, and with poor personal hygiene, just most of them. When he got back to camp, The human miko, was still wearing his haiori, and in a trance like state, she would pick up an arrow both of her hands would glow, one of them pink and the other a dark blue, then a wave of pure energy would roll off of her and it made his skin crawl and his hair stand on end. He noticed most of the demons had left the area, the monks were staring along with the demons who stayed. The other humans, those not with spiritual power remained uninterested.

After five arrows had been filled and put back in the case, she opened her eyes and much to his shock, her left eye was its normal blue, but her right eye was brown, it looked older, stronger, and wiser. She wavered, her eye went back to blue and she fell back on the horse asleep. "I can get my haiori back once we get back to my brothers village" He decided.

"We are making camp here for the night, prepare yourselves accordingly. I will set up the barrier tonight seeing as the Miko is unable." after the last word came out of his mouth a mumbled reply from Kagome came from behind him.

"I'm not unable, I'm just tired." and she went back to sleep

"You have until the sun is sitting on the horizon, who ever is not back will be left out and removed from the group. Understand?"

And with that all of the men, humans and demons a like left the camp and went to hunt for their dinners

with a look to Kagome,

"Horse, guard the miko."

And while Kagome slept, the camp continued on like normal. Every one made it back safely, several fires were prepared, rabbits, and fish were cooked, men gathered around the fires and exchanged stories from home until Kagome began shaking violently, and glowing, but not her usual pink, she was glowing Midoriokos blue. None of the men noticed at first until the ones closest to her began to feel the sting of her raw power. The majority of men in the group were not monks, and they held no spiritual power but their skin was crawling, and their hairs were standing up, as the power grew men closer to the barrier could feel the disturbance. When it hit them they looked to see the blue in the group when the shock wave of power came off of her five men were purified, three humans and two demons. After that event, the army went to sleep. None being able to explain why she was able to destroy humans with her powers or why she chose the ones she did.


	6. Chapter 6

When the camp woke up the next morning, instead of the loud and lively morning activities that went on, everyone was quiet and moved softly to avoid the sleeping miko, all men had the thoughts of last night on their minds.

When Kagome woke up, none of them were ready for what happened, with her hair sticking up in every direction as was the normal for when she woke up. Kagome rushed over to daitaro and gave him one of Inu-Yashas' old rosary beads.

"Give this to the Hanyou of the village, tell him we will be back, Entei, Lead them to Edo and no further than the bone eaters well."

rushing back to her bag she made sure everything was in there, taking the case with her new arrows in it she gave it to the monk who had been selected by Sesshomaru.

"Do not open this and do not give it to a demon, understand?" with a slow and slightly confused nod she sped over to Sessomaru,

"How fast can you make it back to your fortress? Something bad happened last night, I felt it, the children need us now."

When she said something bad happened everyone had assumed she was running away from what she had done, and when Sesshomaru heard that the children were in trouble he picked her up like a sack of potatoes and held her so his left arm wrapped around her waist and she was tucked in the crook of his elbow and resting just above his hip. She was held steady, the trees came rushing by, but she had no fear of them hitting her. His control of his movements wasn't wild, or uncontrolled, He calculated where he was going, and with her on his side, he was sure to never hit anything. But when he stopped, he dropped her, and she looked up, his eyes were narrowed and his claws were beginning to drip poison, following his line of sight she saw Rins body with a gash along her abdomen, and her entrails clearly visible.

"Sesshomaru, calm down. It's not what it seems." that was spoken in a calming quiet voice. In a louder more authoritative voice she shouted "Shippou it's safe! Rin, you can come out." and with that, the maimed version of Rins body changed into her fox kit and from the tree above Sesshomaru, Rin fell into his arms.

"Miko, had you and the fox kit planned this?"

"Lady Kagome, and Shippou, told me that if some one were to try and attack the castle that I was to do what Shippou told me to to. And he told me to climb into the trees and that you would be here soon, but then I felt like I wasn't myself and I was invisible. And then Shippou turned into me."

"I taught Shippou a while back, how to cloak someones aura, and if he focuses, and is given enough time to get to know them, he can mimic theirs. Although this time had a few flaws, be more careful next time."

"Miko, what should we do with the children? They cannot go to the fight with us. We need some where safe, they can not go stay with the half breed, he's already been attacked. And unfortunately I did not think anyone would have the audacity to attack, This Sesshomaru's, fortress, and did not foresee the consequences of taking my most skilled guards with us."

"Shippou and Rin would both be accepted by Sango and her Village or slayers. They have more than enough skill to fight off any demons that would attack, plus I'm sure Sango would take well to having some one old enough to train for a while."

"What do you mean, to train, miko? Why should my ward need training in anything?"

"Sesshomaru, Rin is going to turn 14 soon. You are not always going to be around to protect her, this is the second time she has been attacked in less than two weeks. We will walk to Sangos village, after we stop by your home for supplies for the children and a replacement bow for the one I lost."

And with that a shaken up Rin led a proud Shippou to detail his time with Rin and Jaken to his mother followed closely by one more than annoyed Sesshomaru.

After a short walk with Shippou getting to the point in his story when they were attacked.

"They were more organized than Naraku normally is, they came in with swords, and they didn't kill any of the servants or anyone else, they came straight for Rin. They had ignored me until I burned them with my fox fire and gave Rin time to hide-"

"Shippou, go with Rin and decide what you guys will bring with you to Sango's

Shippou ran a head to follow Kagomesbidding.

"Sesshomaru, do you have any enemies who disapprove of you taking care of a human child? They were not attacked by Naraku."

"How would you know if they were attacked by Naraku or not, Miko? We have not yet arrived to assess the damage."

"If they were attacked by Naraku, any one he sent would have killed every one they came across and Shippou would have been too tired running and protecting Rin. I would be carrying him, and Rin would have a few cuts on her. We will need to walk to Sangos village. It is inconvenient but necessary."

"And why is it that you deem it necessary to walk rather than fly on myself or Ah-Un?"

"Sesshomaru, when you fly you're like a big ball of power. It's a signature. Any one will recognize it, even people who don't know you will know it's you. It would be a task for me to cloak myself, you, Rin, and Shippou. I'm sure that Rin missed you and I know Shippou missed me. It's about a half a days walk from here to the village, well with out any stops, it will give the troops a chance to practice and train and us time to teach me about my sword."

"Why do you think you will be the one who takes control of this situation?"

"Well, if you have a better plan I'd be glad to hear it... Nothing? OK, well after Naraku is taken care of you might want to figure out who is trying to kill Rin, if you'd like help with it I will help you, but if not then after this is done and over with, you won't need to see me any more. Or have to deal with my tenancies to to take control of situations."

"Do you know what happened last night after you charged your arrows?"

"I went to sleep? And that's when I dreamed of the children being in trouble. I think it cause a reaction with my powers and I lashed out. I remember feeling weaker while I was asleep. And even now I need a real bow to feel like I can defend myself it will be at least two days before I am fully restored."

"That's not all, I will explain later. How do you expect to train when you don't even have your sword?"

"I always have my sword. Even when I'm asleep it's with me. I'll not take it out here though, when we train, I will have it ready. You can trust me on that one."

The chatter amongst the children had stopped and they were greeted by a very angry Jaken.

"Jaken, take the children to their rooms and help them gather the things they wish to bring with them, and pack Rin two weeks worth of clothing in a travel bag and have it ready to be packed on Ah-Un within the hour. Miko, we will go to the guards weaponry to find you a suitable bow and a good sized quiver of arrows."

After all the instructions were given out to the servants, he led Kagome around the building to the back where the guards weapons were kept.

Kagome walked to the back wall where all of the bows were kept, and grabbed a long bow and emptied the arrows from four quivers and put them all into one quiver.

"OK, let's go wait for the children."

"Is that all you needed to do?"

"We will only be out about half a day until we get to the slayers village, I will get some of my extra string for the actual fight, and while we wait you can tell me what happened last night."

walking towards the back field where Ah-Un was grazing.

"So we will start with what I know, last night I felt my powers release and something happened, and judging by the sound of it, it wasn't good was it?"

"How long have you known you could kill humans with your power?"

" I knew I had mutated the extent and rules of miko powers long ago, but that was because I can now heal and restore demons, I had assumed that it would go both ways, I have never had reason to try it why?"

and her face paled in realization

"Who did I kill?"

"Three humans and two of our demons, I'm going to hope you had a good reason."

"In my sleep I felt bad auras and I got rid of them. They had bad intentions."

"Lord Sesshomaru! We're ready." Rin and Shippou came running towards Kagome and Sesshomaru, with Jaken huffing and puffing behind them carrying two large saddle bags, and Shippoussmaller backpack.

"Ah-Un! We leave!" Hearing their masters command the beast walked over to Kagome, listening to, but ignoring the presence of their master, they were still mad about being left behind. Staying close to Kagome, Ah-Un let Shippou and Rin mount him and waited patiently for Kagome to get on.

"Ah-Un, I can walk, I've been walking around here for years now, I think I can keep up with Sesshomaru. Maybe Jaken would like a ride."

After Ah picked up Jaken by his robe and set him on his back the group set out towards the Slayer village.

Sesshomaru set the pace faster than the troops had been traveling and they hadn't been attacked yet. But after so many hours of walking for Kagome, and Riding for the children she decided to put an end to it.

"Sesshomaru, we are taking a break, I'm sure Rin and Shippou could go for some lunch and use the bathroom."

and with that Kagome helped Rin and Shippou off of the dragon and had jaken retrieve some of the food they had packed up.

"Lady Kagome, can we speak alone after we have eaten?"

As the group was eating Rin and Shippou took turns telling of their favorite memories since they had come into their respective caregivers when Shippou had finished his story Rin and Kagome had gone a ways into the woods as to not be seen or heard by Sesshomaru.

"Kagome, do you have any thing to help keep my clothing clean when my monthly bleed comes around? I don't want to ask Lord Sesshomaru."

"I have enough for you to use just have Sesshomaru find me when you need me and I will bring them, is there something else? I can't imagine you pulling me away from them just to ask about something that's natural."

"Well, I uh, wanted to ask if you knew if Kohaku would be with Sango at her village?"

a mischievous look came across Kagomes face when she put two and two together. But then her fun was cut short when she felt a group of demons closing in on them.

"Rin do you have a weapon? Any at all?"

"I left my knife back at camp. I didn't think I would need it."

"Lesson number one, never leave camp with out your weapon. Stay close to me."

"Why-" her question was cut off when a large group of lesser demons came out of the woods surrounding the pair. When Kagome pulled the large bow off of her back and one arrow out of the quiver. And in a brilliant display of light took out the ones in front of her and turning around while notching another arrow shot and took out the ones behind her continuing this six more times while Rin stood close but not in the way.

"Rin, Kohaku should be there. Have you been taught to defend yourself, even a little?"

"Lord Sesshomaru said it wasn't necessary because he would always be there."

"Well that was a load of bullshit. When you get to the village be sure to have Miroku see if you have the potential to use Miko powers, and have Sango ask one of the other slayers teach you to use a weapon of your choice."

"Miko, I would appreciate you not insulting my person, or my decisions to my ward. What has taken you so long to get back?" Sesshomaru stepped out of the trees surrounding the pair.

"What do you mean what's taken so long, weren't you attacked?"

"No-"

"We need to talk, when we get to the village. Come on Rin, I will explain the products that I will be delivering once this war is over."

After their break until after the sun had passed its high point over the sky's, Rin walked next to Kagome, who gave her advice about her training, and other things she might need to know while living with the slayers. When they first caught sight of the large wooden fence made out of large tree trunks bound tightly by ropes at the top, middle, and bottom, Kagome began leading them up a hill when they stood a top it. Setting her bow at the ready she notched an arrow and aimed high on the post in the center of the village, once she was sure she was going to hit the post she let the arrow fly hitting the post near the top, once the arrow hit, the faint sound of a bell ringing from the town could be heard.

"Alright let's go."

"Why did you shoot the post?"

"So they can let Sango know I'm here, and she can send Kohaku to come greet us."

"Lady Kagome, Lady Rin, Lord Sesshomaru, and Shippou, hello, to what do we owe this visit? I thought you were going after Naraku."

"There's been a problem, we need you to take us to Sango. And keep Rin and Shippou with you, please?"

a confused, and concerned Kohaku led them to the hut where Sango was sitting on the floor legs crossed sitting next to Miroku, who was making new sutras.

"Sister, Lady Kagome, and Lord Sesshomaru have come to talk. I will take Rin and Shippou to the training field to see if we have any weapons that they are interested in practicing with."

"Kohaku, you have known me long enough, and you know me well enough I think we can drop the Lady Kagome and just call me Kagome, that goes for you too Rin."

Waiting until the children were out of earshot, including Shippou. Kagome sat down and got to business.

"Sorry, Sango, we don't have time for the friendlies today. There have been attacks on Rin, and I have reason to believe some one other than Naraku wants her dead. Sesshomaru and myself, would appreciate if you and the others in the village wouldn't mind allowing her to stay here, training her, and being sure that she is always with you, Miroku, or Kohaku."

"Well, Kags, I understand why Myself or Miroku, but why Kohaku?"

"I think she likes him. It's cute. Maybe he will start to like her."

"No such thing will happen with this Sesshomarus' ward."

"Oh don't be such a spoil sport, they look cute together. But anyways I think it's best not to let Rin or Shippou know of the problem, it would be -"

"Did anyone think that I should know that some one had set a price on my head?" Rin stood in the door way, looking angry at everyone in the room before turning and bolting out of the small sitting area, and out into the village. When Kagome stood up to go after her a low rumbling stopped her in her tracks.

"You will leave my ward alone, you have caused enough damage for today, Miko. She ran off to be with Shippou and the slayer boy."

so Kagome sat down, and took four arrows out and had them ready to be used to make a protective barrier after being fired. After the second arrow Kohaku rushed into the hut, panting and wild eyed.

"Rin left the village after she came and talked to me, she asked me if I knew of the threat on her life, but I lied to her, and she ran out of the gates and I don't want anything to happen to her."

"Kohaku, calm down, I'm sure nothing will happen, we'll go look right now for her and we will explain it. Sango, can we borrow Kirara and Kohaku?"

"Go ahead and take her Kagome, Kohaku are you ready to go now?"

"I am ready to go sister, Kagome do we leave now?"

"Yes, You and Sesshomaru take the grounds I will ride Kirara to see if I can find her."

Kagome grabbed her quiver and kept the four arrows out and continued to ready them getting on Kiraras back Kagome took to the skies going over the fence and out over the forest that surrounded the village, a loud scream was heard coming from a short distance to the left of Kagome, and a burst of youkai was felt nudging Kirara in that direction Kagome readied one of her arrows, shooting three feet to the left and in front, another three to the left and behind, and repeating for the right side of Rin a barrier was formed. When Rin noticed the first arrow she panicked until she looked up and saw Kagome on the Fire Cat, when the barrier formed, she was thankful.

While Kagome notched another arrow, when Kohaku came running in swinging the chain on the first release he took out some of the lower level yokai, on the second and third swing he took out the rest. When the source of the large yokai that had been felt by Kagome made itself present, a large bear demon, slow but powerful if it could land a hit on the barrier it would fall, not made for contact, just as a small protection until some one closer could get there. When Kohaku pulled his chain back, and forced it around his back under his right arm the bear grabbed the chain and gave a strong tug on the part just below the blade effectively forcing Kohaku forward with a newly hurt arm. He was at an impasse if he lets go the bear gets the weapon, if he holds on he continues to get hurt.

When an uncharged arrow went at the bear, shocking him and causing him to let go of the chain, and in return causing Kohaku to fall on his knees next to the arrow that Kagome had fired, and was partially responsible for keeping Rin safe. When an arrow hit the bear near his eye, and a sword came out of the bears stomach. When it was pulled back with a sick squelching sound, Sesshomaru stood, claws and fangs elongated, and eyes burning red. Kagome landed near the other side of the barrier, reaching out and snapping one of the arrows the barrier fell.

Instead of rushing to Sesshomaru, Rin sat next to Kohaku, when the tears started forming in Rins eyes, Kagome knew where it was going.

"Sesshomaru, please take Kohaku and Kirara back to Sango, she should have some one there to take care of Kohakus' wounds."

"And what of my ward? I'll not just leave her here, alone."

"I was the one to make the decision to leave her in the dark, and she and I need to have a nice talk to get it all sorted out." When The trio left the forest Kagome took off her quiver and handed her bow and quiver to Rin.

"Take the bow and the quiver, notch an arrow and shoot a tree, any one as close to a knot hole as you can get."

"What's this about, Kagome?"

"When you can get it in the knot hole, I'll explain myself to you. Until then, I won't say a word."

Nodding Rin took careful aim with the bow, and let the first arrow fly, only off by an inch or so, she tried again, and again, until the arrow stuck in the knot hole.

"Start talking, Kagome." there was a proud satisfaction in her voice.

"When I was your age, Rin, I didn't have to worry about the things of this time. And you have never seemed like you were effected by the on-goings of the people around you. You have always been nice, and considerate, I didn't want the threat on your life to change you, I suppose the mistake was, assuming you wanted everyone to protect you like I did."

"Oh, it's alright, Kagome, but don't make it a habit. But I do have a question; When I'm around demons who I've not been around, or when Lord Sesshomaru brings the other lords around, my hairs on my neck stand up, and I feel tingly, why is that?"

"Pick up the bow and take one arrow."

"But my question.."

"Will be answered. Pick up the bow and arrow, and focus your energy into it, and release."

"Uhm, OK, I think I can do that."

When Rin released the arrow it glowed a brilliant orange and hit the tree, the color and power fading out of it once it hit.

"Well, Rin, your question has been answered, you're a miko. I will have Miroku train you until I can come back and teach you. Let's go back to the village, we have some things to talk about." as the pair walked back to the village, Kagome explained what Rin would eventually be able to do with her powers, and also the extent of her powers.

"Sango, Miroku, Sesshomaru. Is Kohaku alright?"

"He will be fine, Rin, are you OK?"

"Well about that, Sango, We will need Miroku or one of the monks to help train me, Kagome helped me to use my miko powers unless in my absence you have had a miko come to your village, but I would really appreciate the training. And Sesshomaru, When this is all over I would like for Lady Kagome to keep stopping by to help me learn new things and to maintain the ones she has taught me Also, if it is possible will someone be able to train me in Archery, and basic swordsmanship while I am here, so that when I get attack I won't feel like a burden during the fights? Is there any where for me to sit down I am really tired."

Standing up, Miroku offered his seat to Rin, "Of course you may Rin."

"Miko, why is my ward so tired?"

"Well before I would give her any answers, I gave her an archery lesson, and then I taught her how to get to her powers. There's no time for me to train her. Miroku you don't mind do you?"

"Not a problem, Kagome, what is your plan for after this war?"

"Miroku, I can honestly say that I am only planning on how to survive the final fight."

"Don't talk like that! You know you always have a place here and in Edo."

"Sango, I'm no slayer, and Edo, well I can't go back there after Kaede died, plus it's too close to the well. Since I have Entei now, him and I might just travel helping villages in need, maybe I'll find one to settle in one day."

"Alright well always know you have a place here."

"Sango, I forgot to give you this last time, if there is ever a reason you need me with you, hold it tightly and concentrate on needing me here. I should arrive by the end of the day. But we have to get going."

Kagome leaned over sango and gave her a hug, waved goodbye at Miroku, her and Sesshomaru quietly made their way out of the village and to the forest.

"Miko, I will leave, when I come back out there will be no warning, and a fight will happen between us. If I feel that you can not defend yourself, I will stop. But if you can with your sword, then we will continue this way until night fall, or until we reach the men, do you understand?"

and he was gone, before she nodded or made any notion that she even understood, but she could feel him, and she kept walking, slowly and keeping her hands tucked in the tie around her waist. When she felt him move closer, she grabbed at the sword that she had kept smaller hidden on her right hip under the sash. He was circling her, with quick jumps through the trees, but then he masked his aura, and she was left with out her miko abilities to help her. She was starting to get nervous, it was calming to know where he was, and when he was getting closer.

When he finally jumped out of the trees, there was a flash of pink and she was holding her sword in front of her. They fought, and she wasn't good but she held potential. She landed three blows, when he landed a deep gash on her right arm he left, she healed herself and continued on, when he came next, she was ready, she fought with everything she had and he only got her twice. She cut him deep across the stomach. But through out the walk to Edo they stopped to fight and got turned around, when the fights were over Kagome would just walk in which ever direction she was facing, the walk went on until it was almost dark when, Kagome came to a small fire with one cooked rabbit and Sesshomaru eating a raw rabbit.

"Sesshomaru, I'm going to find a river or something to bathe in, you know how to cook the rabbits, right?"

"I've cooked for Rin for a few years, and I have an understanding of how humans eat their meat, no need to worry."

nodding Kagome, continued walking past the camp, and through the forest a small ways, all she found was a small pond.

'I guess this will work, but when we get back to Edo I'm using their hot spring."

Taking off the quiver and unwrapping her bag from it. Kagome opened her bag and took out the small bar of 3 in 1 soap, shampoo, and bubble bath, she set that on the ground next to the pond, she took off the outer miko garment and sat down starting under her left armpit she unlaced the side of the slayers uniform, after both sides were undone, she let the top fold down and got to work on the legs, sitting in the water she did her normal bathing routine. Once she was done she stood up hair slightly tangled and her skin still damp. She put on her haiori and pulled her hakama up over the haiori and tied her sash around her waist to keep the shirt closed and the pants up.

She walked the short distance back to the make shift camp.

"Miko, why did you not dry yourself before returning to camp?"

"I only have my small bag, with my soap, a place to hold my sword, and my comb. I left the one with my towel and my night clothes with Entei."

Sesshomaru watched as she sat cross legged on the ground on his right side in front of her rabbit that was still cooking. Kagome pulled her hair over her right shoulder and leaned over to rummage through her pile of things she brought back from her bath.

His nails elongated and his eyes flashed red at the sight of her submission, but he got his head together, quickly.

She made quick work of combing through her tangled hair, once all of the tangles were out the ends of her hair folded against the ground, and Sesshomaru could no longer smell the burning wood, or the cooking meat of the rabbit, all he could smell was Kagome, he was slowly losing control.

_This girl is doing more to me than any demon female has done to me in Kami knows how long. Maybe she's forcing it- _

"Sesshomaru, knock it off!" he was pulled quickly out of his thoughts by the shrill scream of the Miko next to him.

"Woman, I am not doing anything, you are the one forcing yourself on me."

Kagomes reaction shocked and confused him, though his face remained the same.

"Why do you laugh at this Sesshomaru?"

"I forget that you're not used to the power, you being so close to me has started to draw your inner beast to me. It makes your yokai brush me, it's trying to make me submit. Probably caused by my exposed neck-"

"How do you know of submission, in Inu yokai custom.?"

"Sango knows a lot about yokai, she told me about Inus, because she thought that Inu-Yasha would eventually pull his head out of his ass and pick me over Kikyou, but even the strongest miko in Japan, wouldn't win over the miko who failed the Kami, and took the gift from them as a curse." her voice got deeper and darker at the end.

"Miko, how did the dead miko return from her state of being nothing more then a walking clay pot."

"I am the only person who has successfully returned a person from the dead,"

holding her hand up she stopped the argument that was going to come from The taiyokai next to her.

"Even your sword has limits, her souls had already been gone for 50 years for you and 500 for me, it was reincarnated into me. Sesshomaru, I have a lot of power, more then I will ever know what to do with."

"Why did you bring her back? You could have left her as she was and been with the Half-breed, could you not?"

"Sesshomaru, I could have taken my soul back from her, I could have done much worse. But, I didn't want to be the one he settled for, I wanted him to pick me, for me. So I took the half of my soul that she took, took back most of it, collected some of the souls that were in her, and made her a whole new one. Then I gave Inu-Yasha the chance to pick, he didn't think twice before going over and kissing her right in front of me."

after the skeptical looks from Sesshomaru she got fed up.

"Look, do you want to feel what your inner beast has been feeling this whole time? I know you aren't all the way focused."

"How do you know all of this about me?"

"Sesshomaru, demons do this if I stay in close quarters, even Entei who doesn't have a human form, his yokai has brushed my aura, it's a little unsettling. I prefer to stay away from the demons in camp. The humans can't feel it as well, I keep it close and tight to me. Now, when I release it, you're going to feel suffocated for a second, it might be a little frightening. Are you ready?"

"Hn."

And she set up a small barrier that left the fire and the rabbit out of it, and three inches around the two, and she began to let her powers and her strength unbind and stretch out.

At first for him, there was nothing, and then with no transition, no second warning from the calm girl next to him, he was hit by the wave of powers, it suffocated him, he could no longer find himself within the sea of her power. And he understood why the Kami gave the girl the task of guarding the jewel. She reached her hand out side of the barrier and grabbed the stick holding the now fully cooked rabbit. He watched as she untied the cloth that she used to hold her clothes on, and pulled a small knife out of the pouch that she tied around the quiver, and began to strip the bones of the meat and lay it on the sash. When she was done she had two small piles, one of bones and one of meat. She took the bones and dug a small hole in the ground, offered a small prayer of thanks for the rabbit and started eating small bits of the rabbit.

All the while Sesshomaru struggled to find the center of his yokai in the cloud of her powers, it was a nauseating experience not knowing where his center was.

"You know the worst part of it all, Sesshomaru?" Her voice broke the silence and his built concentration and he lost himself again. When he looked in her direction, she took it as a hint to keep going.

"I would have never told him to give up his demon half, I've always been the one to accept him for who he was. Part of it may have been growing up away from here, and not knowing of the prejudice in this time. And the sad part was, all I have left is Shippou and Entei. I won't ever find someone to love me. I may be the miko who guards the Shikon, but I'm also the miko who consorts with my natural enemy. I've long since trained myself to not react immediately to the presence of demons. No village will take me the way I am. I would be perfectly fine, traveling around, but I wish there would be some one I could talk to all the time who would talk back-"

"That's why you avoided the monk today, you felt you couldn't tell them all of this, they would judge you and tell you it's not true, when you both knew it was, am I correct."

she let out a strangled sob, and nodded her head, first the smell of salt and water hit his nose, but the smell of her sadness, mixed with the smell of her, and all of her power surrounding him, he found himself moving to comfort the girl, when his arm reached around her in an awkward one armed hug, she jumped at the contact, and being that the sash holding her haiori closed was on the ground and was being held down by her dinner. It opened exposing the middle of her chest. And given the situation he lost control, something he had not done since he was younger than Inu-Yasha.

And when Kagome woke up, naked, with fang marks in the crook of her neck, and next to Sesshomaru.


	7. Chapter 7

She sat up quickly, remembering everything that had happened the night before, the details of how and why were still fuzzy in her head, but she knew what they did and what the marks on her neck meant, she also knew that he was not in control last night.

Grabbing the slayers garment she left the top open folding down at the front and in the back, bunching up the legs down to the pads that covered her feet like shoes she pulled it up over her hips and tightened the laces and pulled the back up and put her arms through the sleeves, and kept the back In place, once she was all laced in, she put on the miko garb and left the rabbit on the ground for what ever came that way.

"Sesshomaru, we need to leave."

"Hn." He stood up grabbed his clothes within a few minutes he emerged from the forest, not looking like he had just spent the night on the floor.

"Sesshomaru, when we get back to Edo we are going to spend 3 days there, during the days I will train with you and Inu-Yasha, if he wants to help, and right when the sun starts setting, I'm going to fill as many arrows as I can before I get too tired, I should be able to get between seven and ten done a night, I just need the first 25 done, but the more the better. Once those three days are up we will leave and end this war."

And they followed her plan, she wouldn't get closer than she needed to any demons, no prolonged contact or closeness with Sesshomaru. She had taken to going off to take care of her arrows by the well house, when on the second night Kagura walked out of the forest, looking rather nervous and checking over her shoulder.

"Kagura, why did you come here?"

"I got the saimyosho lost and confused, we don't have too much time, but I know what you are planning. I want to help, any way I can." She was talking too quickly and looking over her shoulder and behind Kagome too much for this to be a lie.

"Make sure you find a way to lead us to his heart, I can help you to make sure you are not discovered, but you need to know one thing, I will be putting my power into restoring what was taken the best I can when I've used so much of it, that does not mean I can not and will not kill you should the need arise and you betray us."

Kagome placed her hand in the center of Kaguras' chest close to her left breast and over where her heart should have been, when her hand started to glow, Kagura got scared and tried to back away from the miko, but Kagome's hand shot out quickly and grabbed her wrist. When the glow faded Kagura could feel a steady rhythm that had not always been there.

"What have you done?"

"I gave you a heart, it will sustain you, but you can not do everything you used to be able to. On the bright side Naraku can no longer control you. Before the fight try to get your heart away from Naraku, and get it out of the place, the next day I will be able to give it back to you."

"But what are you going to do?"

"Kagura, I'm not telling any one what I will be doing, sorry about the temporary heart thing, I'll make it up when this is over. I need to sleep, Make sure your heart and Kanna are out of that place."

"Alright, but he has a great army, more demons than you have troops."

"I planned for this, Kagura, now remember something, we will be there in roughly three days, if in that time I feel that you are going to double cross me, I will kill you. Is that understood?"

Kagura nodded her head silently before making her way back into the forest and finding the saimyosho, and going back to Naraku to relay false information.

When Kagome got back to Edo Inu-Yasha grabbed her and jumped into the trees, leaping from branches until he reached the God tree, making his way into the upper branches, he smelled her neck, where the mark was.

"Start fuckin' explaining, Kagome!"

"You know who did it, don't you?"

Arms crossed he looked at her, as to say ' Of course I do."

"Well then I want you to understand two things, the first one being, it was consensual and the second being, he doesn't know. Well he knows we had sex, but he doesn't know he marked me."

"What do ya mean the bastard doesn't know he marked you?"

"Inu-Yasha stop yelling. I will tell you what happened. Three nights ago after had rescued Rin and Shippo from some one attacking them at the Western Fortress we walked to Sango's village, and we had to make camp, well we had fought all day, now don't look at me like that! He was teaching me, or assessing me, I'm not sure which. Well anyways he had a rabbit cooking for me but it wasn't quite done, so I went to take a bath in a small pond near by, when I came back I was upset-"

"About what? And why did you tell him and not me?"

"Yasha, you knew I loved you. You knew I didn't want to bring Kikyo back, but I did for you, and I knew she would make you happy. It gets to be too much, combined with being stuck here with no way to see my mom. We can talk more once this is all over, now's not the time. I was still wet and with no towel, I just put my Miko garment on, no slayers uniform. I was brushing my hair and it was to one side and I leaned over and for him it was a sign of submission. After I was done with my hair, I showed him how much power I really held, Some things were said, and I started to cry. I think he felt like he had to do something to comfort me and he put his arm around me, it startled me and I jumped a little my shirt came open and his eyes bled red. With his arm already around me, he pulled me to him and we kissed. It wasn't romantic after that we just ended up on the ground and he was over me. Asked me if I was sure, and we did it. Towards the end he bit me and we were done. I woke up got dressed, and haven't talked to him since."

"He won't understand it but there are a few things that will change now. He recognizes you as his, even if he does not understand why, he will feel the need to protect you. For Inus the mating bond can not be undone, and he can only ever have you now. I just hope everything will be OK You know you will never be married now right?"

"I never thought I would be able to get married, there would never be any one one either side of the well who was human who would believe me about the other. When I spent the two days in the trance trying to find the parts of souls that would be able to make one good soul for her that would be close to her original one, who were you worried about? You knew there was a chance that only one of us would make it out, if it came to that who did you hope for? Think about that, but know that while I was doing that, I gave up hopes of us being together in that way. Now we need to get back, you know Kikyo doesn't like us alone together for prolonged periods of time."

When they got out of the trees, Inu-Yasha saw the arrow stuck in the tree, and felt the power coming from it that would tell all to leave it alone.

"Kagome-" but she was gone already, too far into the trees to hear him any longer. Right when he turned around to leave there was a flash of white and he was stuck to the trees by a clawed hand and Sesshomaru looking down at him.

"Why do I feel the need to protect the human?"

when a sharp unexpected kick to the gut hit him and made him lose his grip on Inu-Yashas neck he backed off and looked down at the boy.

"Get close to her, or let something happen to her you'll understand why. Or try asking her."

When Inu-Yasha left Sesshomaru slumped down by the arrow spending the night there he was confused and alone and comforted by her aura.

The next day was the last that they would be spending there, when he got back to the village, he was greeted by Daitaro who then informed him that Kagome told him she would not be training today and at mid day they would have a meeting. He went off to find and practice with some of the men and Inu-Yasha.

Kagome woke up before dawn and went to the shack that had been built to house some of her things. Grabbing new clothing and a crimson sash, bandages, towels, some granola bars, And dried fruit for Entei to snack on. Going out to the well she had brought along her arrows and filled five more, bringing her total up to 27, and she would do 6 more that evening before she meditated. Once she was done she got up and walked to Kikyos' garden where she was planting and caring for the herb crop, it was getting close to fall and she wanted to get the summer only ones taken care of now.

"Kikyo, do you have a store of dry herbs I can take with me?"

"No, we don't have any extra, they were destroyed, when Naraku killed my sister." Kikyos' voice that seemed to be accusing Kagome.

"You talk as if it's my fault that Kaede was killed by Naraku."

"Well tell me, Kagome, why did you not kill Naraku once the jewel was complete? It's almost as if you want him to live."

"Those are strong words from the one who fell to Naraku the first time. And before you say any thing else, remember why you are alive right now. If you don't have any herbs that's fine, thank you for your time Kikyo"

When Kagome turned to walk back to the outskirts of the village, Kikyo opened her mouth and said the one this she would ever regret saying to Kagome.

"Stay away from my mate, Kagome."

"Stay away from Inu-Yasha?" When Kagome turned around to face Kikyo, she had to resist the urge to shrink back down from the look of pure fury on Kagome's face. Her aura was spinning wildly around her, resembling a large forest fire in the wind, with several shades of pink and blue spinning around her, unseen to the untrained eyes. "The man you love so much you would pin him to a tree, because you fell for a trick by Naraku? And when you were brought back you would spend three years hunting him down tricking him and helping Naraku? Kikyo, I was put under several spells of illusion, the difference is I was stronger than you, and I will always be stronger than you. I spent two days in a coma like state trying to bring you back and salvage parts of other souls, that whole time I knew Inu-Yasha was worried about you more than he was me. And I didn't care, I gave up on him ever loving me. Now it's time to grow up and trust your mate, he had some personal questions for me."

When Kagome left the field Sesshomaru landed where she had been standing, Kikyo looked confused, not only at his presence but at what had just happened with Kagome.

"Has she always held that much power?"

"Hn, she holds more than she would show out of anger, but she did a damn good job of intimidating you."

"She didn't intimidate me at all!"

"You may have mated in the house of the West, but know your station. One with as much power as her will stand above you, unmated and all."

And he left her standing there alone in the fields.

When he arrived at the designated meeting grounds he was met with a line of men standing in front of the Miko and she touched their right wrist and they moved past her. Once he came to her and held out his right wrist, she laughed at him.

"Sesshomaru, you don't need what I'm giving the men. You'll be in the sky with me."

"What do you speak of?"

"When I let the arrows go, there's going to be a big blast of power to any one on the ground, I gave every one here my protection. My powers won't hurt them, plus I'll be on Entei with my arrows, I'll need someone who can fly to keep what ever Naraku sends for me away, I know you can fly, and I know you can fight. So I figured you could fight off what ever he sent my way. You don't mind do you?"

"I will accompany you." Kagome gave a bright smile and turned to the rest of the men and relayed her plan.

After the meeting was over Kagome prepared one quiver of arrows, and the other special quiver with the special arrows she kept that one on her back. The regular arrows and a few saddle bags along with a saddle were prepared to be put on Entei.

"Entei, I want to know if you are OK with the saddle bag, if you're not I will see if there is another way. OK?"

"Please don't make this a habit, Kagome. I understand the need for it."

She pulled her hand back quickly and hugged him around the neck, careful to avoid the flames on the back of his neck.

They spent the rest of the day getting ready, she filled the six more before settling down to meditate for the night before they headed out in the morning. She left the rest of the arrows in the case in her shed of things.

Two solid days of traveling with Kagome sleeping on Entei for the rides during the day and at night meditating but putting no barrier up, by the second night she was giving off an energy that was giving anyone too close to her a mild shocking feeling, when they got to the clearing of the forest Kagome left the saddle bags with her bandages and ointments in one of the trees at the edge of the forest.

"OK guys, this is what we've been traveling for, you should be able to tell who's on our side because of the protection I gave you all. Take out all of his forces, but don't go after him, leave that to me, alright?"

Kagome got on Entei who took off into the sky, quickly followed by Sesshomaru. Once the two major threats were out of Narakus' courtyard hoards of demons began pouring out off the castle, the trees and into the field that the men were in. Close to the castle Kagome, Entei, and Sesshomaru all got a blast of demons, but no matter how many they killed more poured out of the castle.

"Sesshomaru, hold them off!" With a nudge on Enteis side towards the dark castle Kagome put up a small barrier around Entei and herself she shot a regular arrow from the quiver on Enteis side, at the miasma surrounding the castle, it wasn't a large castle, it looked to have been taken by one of the smaller lords of the land, but almost anything looked ominous surrounded by miasma. Shooting rapidly three of the special arrows she and Entei moved around the castle where she let off 16 more of the arrows. When Naraku came out the demons in the sky and on the ground were gone, but the men were already tired, with a few casualties and many injured. Acting quickly from her spot above everyone else, Kagome fired off four arrows each landing close to the edge of the area, and one more close to the center but as she grabbed the last arrow she felt something latch on to her foot, she looked down to see on tentacle there and three more on their way, and as quickly as she saw them headed her way she was pulled off Entei and making a rapid descent towards the ground. Taking the last arrow from the bow she stabbed It into the tentacle and her body hit the ground as every mans barrier went up, and the energy was released into the castle, purifying Naraku's heart, and every demon and human he kept there. The courtyard was bathed in the glow of the pink and every person or demon with out the barrier was gone. And Narakus body was mostly destroyed.

When kagomes body hit the ground, the arrow at Goshinboku fell, and a woman 500 years in the future fell when the pain of losing her first born, and only daughter hit.

And a hanyou sat by Goshinboku saw the arrow fall and took off into the forest, running not being able to stand the pain of losing his best friend.

The demon horse who had been changed by the friendly girl, could only watch as her body was ripped from his back and tossed to the ground, charged burning what was left of Naraku.

The troops who had been brought together, who had made friends, who had been brought to a new understanding of the other side by this girl. Could only watch as she made a sacrifice for all of them, and even though they didn't see her hit the ground, they all felt it with the shake in their barriers. And all of the men, even the ones who were too tired to fight when Naraku came out followed after the demon horse to avenge the miko who had given so much.

Nobody took notice to the taiyokai who had been rocked to the core by this unexplainable hurt from the mikos death. When he went to follow the horse after the wave had hit, he was stopped by the need to be close to her, he landed next to her body. It was all still in one piece, he could see her ribs had been broken, and both her arms and the leg she landed on. But her head and neck were fine. When she landed her hair had been cleared of her neck, revealing two small marks in the crook of it. He understood, he was her first, and would be her only because of his beast, she never had a choice. He took out Tenseiga and slashed over her. The only difference was, there was no servant of the dead, her soul wasn't being taken away, but she had no heart beat. So he sat and waited until the servant came, or she woke up, while a battle raged behind him.

It was dark, she hurt, and her eyes wouldn't open, or maybe they were and it was just that dark, she didn't know anymore.

She couldn't control her body.

A voice was saying something, but it was muffled, She couldn't make out what it was saying but it was coming closer.

Her body was leaving, or she was leaving her body, she wasn't sure any more. She knew she was hurt, the pain was fading.

"Kagome, open your eyes."

She listened to the voice, it was fuzzy, and too bright. When it cleared up and she didn't have to squint her eyes, Kagome saw Midorioko standing dressed in an old miko outfit with a worn sword are her hip and an empty quiver, and a small fire cat that looked like it could be Kirara's twin.

"Kagome, we do not have a lot of time, you need to listen and listen close. You were killed in the fight with Naraku, but because of the many sacrifices you have made the Kami have decided to grant you two gifts, the first one being; you will live through this, and the second you will see your family again. I have two gifts for you myself, the first being I will send Kirara's soul back with you, the second I will give my soul to fill what you have given to Kikyo with the piece of my soul you will gain a few things."

"Kirara died?"

"When I left your world, to go beyond, Kirara came with me. But I feel she should go back to the world of the living. I have one last thing to do."

Midorioko touched the crook of Kagome's neck and connected the points where Sesshomaru bit Kagome with a small crescent moon

"What did you do to me?"

"I have completed the bond between Sesshomaru and yourself, No one human, or demon will be able to dispute it now. Now you need to go back, Should you ever need me, I will be with you. Now go to sleep"

The battle was happening behind him, and his men were failing he knew that, but he couldn't leave her body like this, not until he was sure she was dead, or until she came back. When his wrist started to tingle he lifted his sleeve and watched as a small crescent moon was drawn right under his hand in the center of his wrist, was drawn by an invisible hand.

The girls broken bones began connecting as if she never fell from the demon horse who was well above the castle. Her chest began to rise and fall slowly accompanied by a steady heart beat. When her eyes opened he couldn't stop himself he pulled her off the ground into his arms and took a deep breath of her scent to calm his worried beast.

"Sesshomaru, go help the men, I will be around in a few to end this. Get Naraku as weak as you can."

"I'm not leaving you alone again."

"well then carry me on your back, I still have one arrow, I'm going to end this."

"Hn, that will be fine." and he went to pick her up bridal style.

"This might sound weird but I need you to carry me piggy back style, like Inu-Yasha did, otherwise I can't shoot the arrow correctly."

When she was secure on his back and he was standing still she got her bow pointed at the ground with her one arrow left pumping energy into it.

"Sesshomaru hold onto my legs tightly please, I can't hold on with my hands."

When his hands tightened around her thighs he took off running at the on going battle halfway across the field her arrow began to look like a pink comet when he set her down ¾ of the way there, there was blue mixing in with the pink. But by the time he had joined in the fight and stumped Narakus tentacles she was still holding the bow at the ground, but when she pulled it up, the ones who remained in the fight felt the change in the air and the shifting of power coming from the Miko they all thought to be dead holding a bow with a collection of energy going over her head. When she disappeared behind the energy and the demons felt the release from her body, they all grabbed the human men who were still alive and close to them and ran out of the area and hid in the trees, all that was left was Naraku.

When the arrow hit, nothing happened. When three more arrows produced from pure energy alone hit around the first arrow, then the energy released. Naraku was there, and then he was no more, the human body he once housed was gone, destroyed with the energy.

Sesshomaru was the first on over to Kagome, while the others made their way over slowly.

"You did well, Kagome."

"Thanks, Sesshomaru, I have a few people to see, I'm going to come by to train Rin in her Miko abilities. But it will be a while." Entei landed beside her, and she got on his back and they took off towards the slayer village to check on Sango and make sure the curse was lifted.

When she got to the village, she never bothered shooting at the posts, Entei landed down right at Sangos hut. Quickly walking in without knocking on the door, Miroku came out with Kirara at his feet, Kagome had a huge smile on her face, seeing the first two people she wished to see before Sango.

She gave Miroku a hug and when she pulled back she grabbed his hand with the wind tunnel, and took the beads and cloth off of his hand, he pulled it back quickly before he realized there was no hole, just regular hand. He ran quickly from the room to go show his wife, and brother in law. Picking up Kirara, Kagome was careful and put her hand over Kiraras back and pushed the soul back in the body of the small fire cat. Kagome set her on the ground "Midorioko wanted you to have your soul back"

When a whirl of flame colored yokai swirled around the small cat, and in her place stood a tall cat yokai with long cream colored hair down to her back combed back away from her face.

"Thank you lady Kagome, for restoring my soul to me."

"What just happened?"

"Not all demons prefer their biped form, there are some of us who prefer to be in out more powerful form, I gave up my ability to turn from an animal like demon when Midorioko gave up her life to stop the demons I gave up half of my soul to go with her, so she would not be alone. We have spoken much since then, and she decided to give up her soul to you, and I decided to come back as well. Sango will need help when she gives birth."

Sango and Miroku came back from their bedroom and saw Kagome and Kirara in the front room.

"Kagome, who is this?"

"Lady Sango, I am sorry that after all this time I never told you of my true form, I am Kirara."

"My cat? You're trying to tell me that you are my cat?"

"Kirara, how can you tell of demons who can hold a human form?"

"Your ability to communicate with us in our animal form is a way."

"So my horse has a biped form too?"

"That old horse, don't ever have him guard you when you're taking a bath, he's the biggest hentai out there."

"Sango, I will be back after I bring Shippou back to his school. Where is he?"

"He's out in the field."

"Thank you, Sango, I will see you later."

Kagome left the hut going towards the fields and retrieving Shippo.

"Hello Rin, Shippou. Rin Sesshomaru will be around to come bring you home. Shippo we have to go. The day is half way done, and I need to do a few things before the day is done."

They left the village and flew over the forests and occasional villages, the whole way Kagome was silent, they arrived shortly before the sun set.

"Shippo, let me know before you take your kitsune tests so I can be here when you pass them, alright?"

Kagome and Entei walked down the hill, with Kagome walking a head of him, further than she normally would. When they got to the forest they stayed in the same clearing as they did the first time they were there.

"Entei, I know you can turn into human, I want you to show me."

With a defeated horse huff and a swirl of flame, not like Kiraras' flame colored yokai, but hot fiery flames surrounding his body, when they cleared a man a little shorter than Sesshomaru stood before her with fire colored hair that was standing up 6 inches off of his head wearing old battle armor.

"Forgive me, Kagome. I did not wish for any one to find me, and I wished to look for my mate in hopes I would find her."

"You watched me take a bath!"

"If I refused to go along with you, would it have not seemed weird?"

"Well that is a good point. How long before you were sealed had you stayed just being a horse. And weren't your mate and children horses too?"

"We need to speak about the image I showed you before. So sit down and please put a barrier up, The ones who are after me are still around."

Once both requests were complete. He took a deep breath and started his story.

"Long before the death of Inu Taisho, when Sesshomaru was not yet born. Inu Taisho his self was just of the age to begin his search for his mate, and had not yet been introduced to the young princess from one of the minor lords of his fathers land. I myself was ruling lord of the Northern lands, I was fair to both humans and demons. Many demons did not agree with that, the gap between human and demon life was much larger than it is today. Word began to spread over my lands that I was favoring the humans to my own kind because I gave their villages more help than I would give to the demons. What they didn't understand was the demons were never in need of any help, groups began to pop up around my lands of rebellious demons. After years of silent rebellion they stormed the castle on the night of my second sons birth, he was my third child and people just left us alone, my wife had just come out of her labor. Horse demons are meant to be able to get up and go after birth. When the guards alerted me that there were intruders going towards the birthing ward. I rushed to the area, and thankfully I made it before the men. I instructed my mate to take the children and go hide, I would be with them shortly. Unfortunately I lost the battle, they had too many men. All I was able to do was cloak my aura and change into my true form it had not been done since I had been ruling the lands.

It has been rumored that I was killed. The problem with my family leaving, was the men who had taken over the castle took over the land as the new rulers. Since then they have been for the separating of humans and demons, I fear they are the ones behind the attacks on young Rin."

"The people who took the castle did that so long ago, how could they still be alive?"

"Demons, pass their beliefs on their children much harder than humans do. The first generation may not be the ones who are attacking but they could very easily send their children. Hope that my mate is alive is slim, I know my children are alive and I hope that after you get what you need to done, you wouldn't mind coming with me to take back my lands."

Kagome scooted over to the man sitting next to her and gave him a hug.

"Of course I will help you, I don't have much else to do. Even though I plan to go back through the well I will still continue my life here. Now let's go to sleep."

When Kagome woke up Entei had stayed as a human through the night, comfortable and excited to have the chance to go back to staying a human.

"Entei, we have to leave now we need to be at Edo by early afternoon, but after this I won't need to go as fast as we have been."

When they got to the well in Inu-Yashas forest Kagome got off of Entei.

"Entei I will be gone a while, you can go off and eat some grass or something if you would like."

Inu-yasha was approaching the clearing that housed the well and Kagome jumped in the well.

500 years in the future at the shrine house that was built near the well. Mrs. Higurashi answered the knock on her door.


	8. Chapter 8

With a loud crack Kagome landed on her face in the bones and mud that covered the bottom of the well. She felt betrayed by Midorioko for telling her she would be able to see her family again. Her right Shoulder was broken, her left wrist was too, and she was stuck 500 years away from her family.

When it actually hit her, she began pounding her fists on the ground sobbing and throwing a child like tantrum. She was stuck at the bottom of the well, angry at the gods and the woman who she now shared her soul with.

When two arms clad in red wrapped around her a curtain of silver hair fell in her line of vision, she was lifted out of the dirt that lay on the bottom of the well, and set on the grass that was surrounding the well. Her eyes hurt from the sudden change of light from dark so she closed them. One at a time in an increasing pace water drops hit her on the head and the arms that were holding her tightly began to shake, quietly at first the sobs of the Hanyou behind her were audible. She turned to return the hug but gasped in pain when his arms tightened around her injured shoulder.

"Inu-Yasha what's wrong with you? I was only gone a few days."

"Kagome, don't play dumb with me, I know you died, every one with a strong connection to you knows you died. Yours and Kikyos soul is no longer connected, her aura changed completely. What did you do?"

"Do you want the short version?"

"I don't want you to leave anything out."

"Then give me a few minutes so I can fix myself, I'll tell you everything." After her shoulder and wrist were both carefully fixed, a barrier was set up around the two. From the forest, the miko of the village that was not too far away watched with deep brown eyes filled with envy as she watched her mate sit close to the other miko, the one that should be less than her, she left the forest.

Inside of the pink bubble, laced with blue veins. Kagome and Inu-yasha sat side by side, legs crossed knees touching.

"So, When I died, Midorioko gave me a large chunk of soul to fill and replace what I had lost when people tried to take it, or use it to control me, and when I gave Kikyo a part of my soul. She also sent the part of Kirara that had left her body when Midorioko died, Kirara gave it up, because she battled alongside Midorioko. My mating mark has been completed by her so no one will be able to challenge me."

"Kami, Kagome, all that happened when you died? Why's the barrier up?"

"I have something I need your help with. Entei and I need to go to Totosai, And I need you to hold me off the ground for a few minutes and if you don't mind, a small little mission, in the spring after Kikyo and Sango have given birth."

"Why do you need Totosais help, and what kind of a mission?"

"I need a sword made for Entei,"

"Why does your horse need a sword?"

"Quit interrupting me and you'll find out! Entei, and Kirara both have the ability to hold steady biped forms. Before your father had even found Inu-Kimi, Entei was the lord of the North, his castle was taken over by Yokai extremists who didn't believe in treating humans and demons the same."

"So why did he wait all this time to tell any one or look for help? And what of his mate and children? Did he have them?"

"Entei needed a strong person, one who wouldn't ever become blinded by his power. As for his mate and children, he's not sure what happened to them. Now let's go tell your mate that we need to go, before the days half over, we don't have a lot of time!"

Inu-Yasha stood up and crouched down offering the young miko a ride into the village not too far away.

When the two arrived in the town, both of them laughing rather hard, they were greeted by Kikyo, who looked none too pleased with her mate. After he ran off and left the village for 3 days, and returned with her reincarnation.

Inu-Yasha dropped Kagome, who for the most part was expecting it, and landed on her feet, she wobbled a little but was ok.

"Kikyo, I know you're mad, but just hear me out, ok?" Inu-Yasha began.

"I have been going and spending days watching that arrow that Kagome put up, ever since they left, I would leave to hunt before the sun went down, and I would be back when it came up. When I watched the arrow fall, I felt Kagome die, and it hurt, a lot. So I did what I always do when I need to clear my mind I ran, and today was the first time I had been back to find Kagome, alive and stuck at the bottom of the well. All I could think of was finding out what happened to her, and I'm sorry if I had you worried."

"Aw, you guys are too cute, C'mon Yasha let's go."

"What does she mean, let's go? Where do you think you're going? You've been gone for three days, I've missed you. I was hoping we could spend some time together."

"Well then you can come with us, Kikyo, We're just going to Totosai, and all I need Inu-Yasha to do is hold me off the ground for a couple seconds."

"What do you need Totosai for? And why can't your horse keep you off of the ground?"

"It's all a very long story, and you will find out when we get there, but can we just go? We don't have a whole lot of time."

"I know you just want to spend time with my mate. Admit it, Kagome, you never go over being second in Inu-Yashas heart."

"For fucks sake, Kikyo! She has a mate, even if she doesn't love him, she wouldn't try to destroy two peoples trust in her. I'm one of the only demons who has the time to bring her up there, and I was her first friend here. If you're not coming with us, then I'll be back in a few days, but if you are, then lets go. Kagome, call that damn horse of yours and lets go."

With her lips pursed together Kagome gave a short nod, loosened up her lips and whistled, one long high pitched whistle, and within seconds, Entei was standing before the three giving off a power that hadn't been felt from him since he was ruling lord of the north. Kagome got on Entei, and turned her head towards the couple standing behind her.

"Inu-Yasha, are you gonna ride on Entei too? It will take us less time to get there and back."

"I'm going with you guys, that way you don't have to move so quickly." Kikyo got on Inu-Yashas back piggy back style and Entei and Inu-Yasha took off towards the old yokai black smiths mountain, after Kikyo made preparations and let her student know she would be gone for a few days at most, grabbed food, extra clothing, the group left with only 3 hours of day light left. Inu-Yasha, Kagome, and Entei were all ready to go through the night, but the pregnancy made it hard for Kikyo. When the night fell and Kikyo insisted that they land and make camp for the night.

Entei laid on the ground while Kikyo sat and prepared her dinner, and Kagome and Inu-Yasha got firewood ready.

"We could have ran all night, we didn't need to stop. She makes us stop more than you did."

"Inu-Yasha, sit boy!" He braced himself for the impact that never came, in the process dropping all of the wood he had been carrying.

"Oy! Wench What did you do that for?"

"You and I both know that your mate wants what's best for you, now you can hold my bundle of wood too." They turned back to the camp, Inu-Yasha began working on the fire, when Kikyo began to put up sutras to hold a barrier, Kagome stopped her.

"I will hold up the barrier, save your sutras."

"You mean to make me believe that you will hold the barrier through the night?"

"Just save your sutras, make your dinner and go to sleep, We are leaving when dawn breaks."

"Dawn? Inu-Yasha I thought you said she was lazy?"

"Well, Kikyo, She has been training for a while, plus she left a month ago, she hasn't had time to sleep in, she's in a hurry. Right after we go to Totosai she promised Rin she would help her train." When Kikyo looked back to Kagome she was sitting in the middle of the camp and then the forest got quiet and there was a barrier around them.

"How did she do that so quickly? She doesn't even seem like she's trying to hold the barrier up."

"I didn't know she could do it so quickly either, I think it's best, Kikyo, if we just eat and go to sleep, there's no doubt in my mind that she will be up and ready before dawn." The two ate dinner quietly as to not disturb the miko in the center of the camp.

**Inside Kagomes mind**

"Midorioko, You lied to me!"

"What's this about, Kagome?"

"You told me I would be able to see my family again, I tried the well and it doesn't work, at all. All I got out of jumping down that old thing was a broken wrist and a dislocated shoulder. Why would you tell me that? I would have been just as happy living a some what normal life in this time, and knowing that I had kept them safe."

"I said you would be able to see them again, and you will. The well is sealed, the way you see them is not the most direct way, or the shortest. Continue to meditate, and be sure to go to the Western Fortress and say hi to Totosai for me."

"I have another question for you. When will I be able to feel the difference since you joined our souls together?"

"Have you not noticed? When you wake up, look at your barrier and pay attention any time you use your powers. You will see. There may be times where I feel it is necessary to take control, it will be a strange feeling, of that I am sure."

Kagome pulled out of her head and looked to her barrier. She noticed the blue veins coming from the ground and going up towards the center point at the top where it faded and mixed with the pink giving off a purple glow.

"How long do you go with out sleep, Kagome?"

"I only sleep when Entei and I are traveling, and he knows where we are going. The last time I slept at night was when Sesshomaru and I mated."

"Why did you do it, Kagome?"

"It wasn't supposed to be long term for him and I, it started off as just a quick thing. People from my time call it a hook up. And it only turned into the hook up, because of how long I've gone with out any physical contact from any one. He was just so willing to give it to me, and one thing led to another, you know the rest."

"You can undo the mating, you still have that option. Or a demoness could want him, and could contest."

"Will that work if the marks been completed?"

"How has it been completed you have to make an announcement, there has to be a ceremony, make sure there is no body who disapproves, all of those have to be followed if you mate a demon in Sesshomaru's position. What did you do?"

"Midorioko got the Kami to give her the power to do it. I don't even know what it means I have to do. I already know I won't be able to be with anyone else, that doesn't matter too much to me. I know Sesshomaru won't be the most affectionate mate, but what do I have to do?"

"You need to be submissive in public, not weak but if he says something it's best not to argue, I don't know what he plans to do about introducing you as his mate. He probably has noticed the completed mark. If you plan on staying at the western fortress, you must always sleep in his bed. Don't be affectionate with other demon males. If a female challenges you, accept it, otherwise she's going to kill you without a fight. And your lives are tied to each other."

"Tied to each other? I will live as long as he does? How long will he live?"

"My father and Sesshomaru are both believed to be immortal, unless something kills them, they won't ever die of just being old. They both have the power to take people they care about under their protection, and extend their life until they marry or mate."

"That's a lot to take in, why didn't he do that with your mom?"

"He wasn't able to, he died the night I was born, had he done that they both would have died. I'm glad he didn't"

"So once you've died, so will the people you've taken under your protection?"

"From what I've heard. You know you're going to have to tell Sesshomaru about the mark being complete?"

"He knows. I'm sure of it."

"How would he know if Midorioko only told you?"

"When she did it I was dead, but when I came back he was staring at his wrist, and after that he was nicer to me than he had ever been before. I think he felt it. Or his mark is on his wrist. I dunno, it was a feeling I had at the time, he was just sitting next to me. Did I tell you that when I died he was the only one who was waiting for me? Everyone else was fighting. He was the reason I made the shot and killed Naraku. Well I'll ask him what he wants to do when I go help Rin out. You wanna know what I found?"

"What did you find?"

"Well when I left I went rummaging through the shed for my stuff, I found a spare stash of ramen and I may or may not have brought that and some water for you to make before we go."

"How much did you grab from your time?"

"Inu-Yasha, I would tell you that we were running low when we still had plenty. I always knew there would be the time when the well closed, I would be stuck on one side or the other, I got to see my family a lot in case I was stuck here, and I left plenty of things for you guys in case I was left there."

After that Inu-Yasha was oddly silent while he prepared his ramen, Kagome pulled the barrier around them down.

Walking over to Kikyo she crouched down and cupped the sides of the sleeping womans face her hands glowed a soft blue and Kikyo let out a soft sigh.

Walking over to Entei who had just woken up and was standing, ready to leave, she got on his back she held him down.

"Inu-Yasha pick her up, she'll be fine and will wake up when she's fully rested. I didn't want her to have any stress, having to wake up early. I helped to block her from the world until she's ready to wake up. Now let;s go."

Entei let Inu-Yasha set the pace while he easily kept up. Half way through the day, Kikyo woke up, they just kept going, when they got to the top of the mountain, Inu-Yasha had both hands full with Kikyo.

"So, Inu-Yasha, you're back to have the fang repaired again? You know, Sesshomaru has never had his repaired, it's because he takes care of his things."

"Old man, shut up, my swords just fine! We're here about Kagome's damn horse!"

"Her horse you say? Girl, get on the ox." After Kagome was seated on the Ox, Entei changed quickly, and let Kagome back onto his back.

"I knew you would be back, and just in time too, I've finished your sword. I can get it for you if you would like you can test it and have me fix anything."

"Totosai, You've been the only one to make my swords and have done so with out complaint from me for for centuries."

The old man walked faster than Kagome or Inu-Yasha had ever seen him move, and when he returned he brought with him a long katana, around five feet long it was housed in a sheath of dark cherry wood, with two long braided pieces of cloth coming from opposite ends of the sheath, Entei took the sword and set Kagome back on the ox so he could tie it pulling it out and swinging it, he thanked Totosai, grabbed Kagome and before Inu-Yasha had realized Kagome was on his back again, They were gone,

"Why are you going so fast? And where are we going?"

"We are going to see your mate, even if you didn't mean for it to be like this, his beast is beating him up , he will go crazy with out you near for the next couple of months."

"You're giving off a lot of energy, should I do anything that will stop people from feeling it?"

"No, it's about time for people to know there is going to be a change, anyways we will be there shortly they will only feel me for a second, it will seem like their imaginations got the best of them."

Under them the trees were gone replaced by dark blurs, and at a nauseating pace she could see the Castle of the west come into view within a few moments they were standing in front of the castle guards ready to attack with the incoming rush of unfamiliar yokai, they backed down when they noticed, The young miko on the yokais back, and they moved out of the way when they felt their lords agitated aura coming at them quickly.

When Entei felt it he dropped Kagome, knowing that Sesshomaru was frustrated with his mates closeness to another male. When he arrived at the front of his castle, he picked Kagome up and placed his nose in the crook of her neck and inhaled.

"Uh, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Back to your posts, everything will be explained eventually."

Sesshomaru took Kagome inside when Entei began to follow inside, Sessomaru growled and bared his fangs.

"Sesshomaru, I need your help."

"You were holding, this Sesshomarus, mate."

"Don't you understand?"

"Are you assuming this Sesshomaru to be confused?"

"Sesshomaru, it's Entei. Can we go inside there's a lot to explain at this point, do you have a study type room?"

When they turned to walk around Kagome tried to get out of Sesshomarus arms, he responded by holding her tighter and pricking her with his claws until she stayed still, they walked into a large room there was a low sitting table with one large pillow sitting on one side with three smaller pillows on the other side, a shelf that had papers, books, and scrolls it went all the way up and almost completely down the wall.

Sesshomaru sat down cross legged with Kagome on his lap, and Entei on the pillow in the middle.

An hour and a half later Entei had finished telling his story, there was a faint sobbing in the background, Entei and Sesshomaru both looked to Kagome, she wasn't crying, they couldn't sense any one outside of the door. The bookshelf started to inch away from the wall around ¾ of the way between the two walls, when they were 6 inches apart Entei stood up as a woman came out of the hole in the shelves.

She was nearly as tall as Entei with long thick dark crimson hair, Bright orange eyes a gentle face wearing all an all black kimono. When she was out of the room Entei fell to his knees grabbed her around the middle pulled her to the floor and he cried.

Kagome stood up and pulled Sesshomaru out of the room.

"Did you know his mate was in there?"

"My father had said the woman in stone will come out when her mate comes for her. I never understood, how would a stone woman walk?"

"I'm sorry that you were forced into this mating, is there anyway that we would be able to get it undone? I know Inu-Yasha said once it was complete there was no way, but I thought you might know another way?"

"Since you talked to the half breed, I'm assuming he told you what makes the mating complete, am I correct?"

"Yeah the mark on my neck, that shows other people we are mated, right?"

"You seem like an intelligent young woman, what is another way for demons to show they are together?"

"Well they have a child I suppose, but I think we should wait until we get to know each other a little better to decide if we are even going to have a baby."

"Then the time to talk is short, You and I need to talk of our plans to announce the mating."

"We have to announce it? And what do you mean the time is short? I think there's plenty of time to talk about children, I think Midorioko made It so I will live a lot longer, so we're not working with only a few years."

Entei, his mate, and a young child came out of the room.

"Lord Sesshomaru, Lady Kagome, I would like to formally introduce myself as former Lord of the North, my mate Lady Chizuko, and my son Morio. Thank you for allowing us in your home, I am here to ask for your help, and the help of your mate, in aiding me to take back the lands that were taken from me long ago."

"You come to me in a time of new peace, and ask for my help with a war?"

Entei took this as a rejection and began walking away until Kagome spoke up

"I gave you my word before all of this and I'm sticking to my word now, I will help you. Even if Sesshomaru will not. When do you plan to leave?"

"I wish to wait until spring to leave."

"Alright, We can leave in the Spring. Sesshomaru, where should I plan to sleep?"

"We will be sharing a room I will show you after dinner, until then you can help Rin out with her Miko powers, She's been shooting every target she can but hasn't been able to channel her powers."


	9. Chapter 9

"Sesshomaru, you need to tell her, Before she finds out on her own. Things will get ugly for both of us when she figures out we knew and didn't tell her-"

"Didn't tell me what? Oh Inu-Yasha, did Kikyo come too? What about Sango and Miroku, when does the party start?"

"They're all here, but I gotta go now, Kikyo might … uh need me for … help." Inu-yasha ran out of the room leaving Sesshomaru looking guilty of something and a confused Kagome.

"You see, Kagome, This Sesshomaru has something to tell you."

"Well can it wait for after the ceremony? I still have to take a bath and get ready, so do Sango, Kikyo and Kirara, it's going to be a long day."

"This is something I need to be the one to say. Anyone of the demons down there will be able to tell. And they will not be discreet, they don't care if you don't know yet." He took a deep breath, let it out, closed his eyes tightly.

"Sesshomaru, I don't know if this helps you at all, but what ever it is, you can tell me, and we can try to handle it together. I know we don't know each other that well, but we're mates now, and from my understanding you're stuck with me."

"You're with child."

"Sesshomaru, there's no way to be sure, we can just wait until my period was supposed to come."

"It's Inu traditon, when the mating bond is completed, the female will bear a child. Inu-Yasah smelled it, I've smelled it, hell every demon in the castle can smell it."

"We can talk about this later, I've got a ceremony to get ready for." her voice was soft, the sentence was clipped and she left quickly to go find Sango.

Getting back to the room that Sesshomaru had set up for them to get ready in before the party.

Kirara, Sango, and Kirara were all ready for the bath and the maids were waiting with all of the supplies ready for their hair and the kimonos, when the girls went in the baths with the soap, and shampoo.

When the girls got in the bath Kagome broke down and started sobbing. Ever since the well had closed she stopped crying, there were things she couldn't control and she had to accept them and move on.

"Kagome. What's wrong? You should be happy today is your day!" Sango scooted over after she asked.

"I'm going to have a baby."

"Well I figured that since you were mated to him, and you've announced it today, you would be expected to produce an heir right?" Kikyo still wasn't nice to Kagome even after their souls were separated. Her voice was always cold when speaking to Kagme, as it was now.

"This whole thing is different for me, you guys wouldn't understand." "Well help us to, Kagome. All three of us, we're here for you" Sango held on to Kagome's hand and the others waited for an explanation.

"When I found out Sesshomaru and I were mated, I settled with the idea that I would be able to live out my life alone, Until my promise to help Rin with her Miko training, I never planned to come back here. I figured maybe Sesshomaru and I would talk and plan if and when we had a child maybe after we got to know each other. I knew when I came here, I would be stuck with some one who will never love me, he doesn't even like Inu-Yasha for being a half-demon, I know I'm going to be bringing a child in the world who will only have the love and respect one one parent."

"Kagome, I know you're upset, but we need to get out and get ready." Kikyos cold voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "I wonder how long they knew I was pregnant before they told me."

"It's Inu-yokai custom that the mating bark is complete only once the female is pregnant."

"They all knew right after they saw me is what you're saying." with a deep sigh she pulled herself out of the tub followed by Sango, Kikyo, and Kirara. They helped to apply each others make up, they did Kagomes hair in a long braid down her back with her bangs left out of it. Her eyes were surrounded in dark eyeliner and light blue eye shadow and bright red painted lips, they finished her off by helping her get dressed in her white kimono with belled sleeves cut so the back of them went to the floor and a purple obi.

When she was dressed the maids came back in to show her where she would wait for them to announce her arrival, and who would be coming in with her, Kagome noticed that they never mentioned Rin in the plans.

"Where will Rin be in all of this?"

The maid with the short hair was the one to answer while the other one turned away. "Lord Sesshomaru thought it would be best for her if she were to be left out of the ceremony."

"Well do you know where she is?"

"Last I heard she was in her room, that's where Lord Sesshomaru instructed her to stay."

"Thank you, we will be sure to be ready in time." The maids knew this to be their dismissal and left, quickly, they were still uneasy around Kagome with out Sesshomaru to keep her from attacking them.

"Kirara, will you go get Rin and have her get her nicest kimono, please."

"Kagome, there might be a reason he didn't want her there." Sango warned her as Kirara sped off

"The other demon lords don't know he took a human under his protection, it will be enough of a shock that I'm a human. I will just say I adopted her when her village was destroyed."

"Lady Kagome, I brought miss Rin and we found her a kimono."

Kirara and Rin came in the room holding an orange Kimono with white accents along the sleeves and hem, before Rin could say anything to question why she was there before the three women began painting her face, brushing her hair, and bickering over the hair style. They decided on a high pony tail, with only minimal make-up.

"Why are you guys doing this?" Rin finally got the chance to speak after she was dressed.

"You're coming to the ceremony. Sesshomaru has to accept my family into his, under his protection as part of the mating. I thought it would be fair if you were included as part of my family."

A knock on the door followed by a maid poking her head in the room signaled it was time to go.

"Rin, If you would like to go with us, you can stand up front with me."

The three women started towards the room where Sesshomaru had planned for the party to be in. It had been cleared out with an area up front for him and Kagome to stand and speak to the guests, once all of the formalities were done, and Sesshomaru had taken her family under his protection, they were to move to the dining room to eat dinner. Kagome had made one decision in the planning of the party, and that was to have Daitaro be the one to announce her as the new lady of the west. When she heard his voice boom out over those who had been invited, she held on to Rins hand and led the group out down the aisle that had been cleared up to Sesshomaru, who looked at the four of them, his eyes falling on Rin last, set his jaw and waited until he got a moment with Kagome to explain to her the dangers of having two powerful mikos and one novice in the presence of all of the important demons of the land.

Kagome stood closest to him, with Rin, Sango, and Kirara standing behind her. On Sesshomarus side was Inu-Yasha followed by Kikyo, Entei and his family were out in the crowd.

"Attention, Everyone!" Once the crowd was silent Sesshomaru continued "As all of you know by now, I have taken a mate. By forces beyond our own, the bond was completed, I would like all of you to meet my new mate, Kagome Miko of the Shikon Jewel." A collective gasp was heard from the demons on the floor.

Then Kagome took her chance to speak. "Hello everyone, I would like to take this chance to introduce my family. My daughter, Rin.-"

"How can you take a mate who already has a child?" An angry demon spoke out from the crowd.

"I would like for you to all know I rescued her after her village had been destroyed, she was 8 I was 15, it was hard enough then, I don't need you speaking out about it now. If it's all right with you, and without further interruption I would like to continue on with my family. There's my sister Sango, and my close friend the fire neko Kirara. I think everyone knows Sesshomaru's family."

Sesshomaru took Kagome's hand and led her to the center of the floor, to meet the others, while Sango, Rin, and Kirara left to go make sure everything was good for the dinner that was going to be held in an hour.

Kagome heard the men judging her strength and the women judging her looks, after 20 minutes of their disrespect, she did the first thing that came to mind, releasing some of the control she had on her power allowing them to feel some of her power.

"Now, If any one else has something to say on how I'm not good enough for Sesshomaru. Know that not only was I born with the Shikon Jewel in my body, This mating was completed by Amaterasu, and I share my soul with Midorioko. Any one who still has a problem with it who doesn't mind fighting a miko, can just come right out and say it!"

The females stepped back when one large male bear demon, a wolf from Kogas tribe, and one Inu- female came forward.

"After we all eat, it will be you three against me." Sesshomaru grabbed her by her upper arm and pulled her roughly back to him.

"What do you think you're doing? Have you forgotten that you are with a child?"

"Sesshomaru, If Naraku couldn't kill me, they can't either. Our baby will be fine. Since I left to bring Shippou home I've been in fights and I was alone, not to mention I was protecting a child who wouldn't stay out of the way. Now let's go have a nice dinner." Kagome turned and walked to the doors that the dinner was set up, Sesshomaru grabbed her hand and set the pace for those following them. The couple stood at the head of the table and once the guests were standing at their respective places Sesshomaru sat down, followed by Kagome, then at once Sango, Rin, Kirara, Inu-yasha and Kikyo sat down. The guests sat in order of their nearness to the family. The food was brought out immediately once the people were seated.

"Lady Kagome, what did you mean when you were speaking with Lord Sesshomaru, when you said you had been taking care of a child before you came here?" One of the Inu females near the family side asked, Kagome assumed she was part of the pack.

"You guys all know the story of the Shikon Jewel, right?" With a group nod from those interesed Kagome continued.

"Well Inu-Yasha and I were traveling along shortly after we had first met, and we came across a village that had recently been destroyed by the Thunder Brothers."

"You traveled with the half breed?" The bear demon interrupted Kagome, and his group all joined in on his laughter, some began to insult Inu-Yasha.

"I understand that I am a human and a miko but you are a guest in our home, you will learn to respect me. For any one at this table not interested in my story feel free to talk, but do not interrupt me again, or I will have you removed from this table. Further more, Inu-Yasha, half demon he may be, that does not take away from his strength, it has been demonstrated to me several times over the 6 years I have known him. Now, as I was saying, We were walking through the village trying to find any one who was still alive and could tell us who did this. When out of no where this little boy come up to us and snatches the jewel shards from around my neck and runs off. Inu-Yasha catches the poor boy who starts bawling his eyes out after being caught. Turns out both of his parents were killed in the attack and he wants the jewels to become strong to kill the ones who did this to him. After he told us this I convinced Inu-Yasha to let him come with us. Now I consider him to be my son."

"So you took in two children who had lost their parents and kept them alive while hunting down Naraku?"

"After we got Shippo from the village, we came across Rin. She also lost her parents in a raid on her village, we went quickly to Sesshomaru and asked if he wouldn't mind taking care of her while we hunted Naraku. We told him we wouldn't take long and it would only be a few months for us. Several set backs caused us to take years, by that time she had grown so attached to Sesshomaru that we couldn't take her away from him. So we traveled with Shippou, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara. Anyways enough about my travels for now, If you wish to know more you can always just ask. About the fight, I vote no weapons."

"Lady Kagome, you can't possibly think you can defeat us with out a weapon?"

"No, I don't think you can defeat me if I have a weapon, Even Inu-Yasha could defeat you if he was given a sword. You have your speed and strength and I have my miko abilities."

Once everyone finished eating Kagome excused herself from the table after letting every one know they would be meeting out in the training field in half an hour.

Half an hour later Kagome came out to where the servants had made ready dressed in her slayers outfit.

The party had taken most of the day and the dinner had run late with Kagome's stories, the sun had long since set and the air was cool. The bear came forward first and the other two stepped back.

"I don't know why you two are back there, I meant a three on one, now get ready I'm not going to hold back."

Immediately Kagome flared with power stronger than any single person knew she had. The bear and the wolf charged her, both of them took a large blast of power to the chest and got knocked down, behind her the inu was going in for a sneak and she ducked in time followed by a low kick to knock the female down. They continued the fight going back and forth with Kagome maintaining a few injuries, when she sensed some one above them, pausing her fight she pushed all three demons back with a barrier and gave the woman room to land on her feather.

When Kagura landed Kagome knew something was wrong, her usually neat hair was unkempt and wild, the feather hadn't landed gracefully it smashed into the ground and Kagura herself was bloody, holding in her hand the heart she had stolen from Naraku. Kagome realized what she had forgotten., She promised Kagura that she would get the heart back in her.

A barrier strong enough to keep any one who tried to get in, out with out a problem. She began her work carefully one hand on the heart, the other on her exposed chest Kagome split open Kaguras chest with her powers. The demons on the outside all furiously charged the barrier thinking Kagome was going to kill the woman.

Once the heart was placed in Kagura Kagome began to heal her, completely soon her body lost it's pale color and her skin was flawless once again. Kagome dropped the Barrier and allowed the bear, the wolf, and the inu to come attack her. But they didn't every person in that court yard bowed down after watching her stop a fight that would decide if she was fit to be a leader to help this woman who had crashed in the yard. They all understood one thing that any one who knew Kagome knew, she would risk her life if she thought it meant saving some one she loved.


	10. Chapter 10

"Was it worth it Naoko? You attacked me in a moment of weakness. Sure you took my sight from me, but why?"

the Inu looked up from her bed in the hospital, it had been three days since Kagome woke up after her fight with the three challengers, just recently she found out why she could no longer see, and who was responsible, the black haired female Inu in front of her had attacked her when everyone else was bowing. The woman's' name was Naoko, and she had been a resident of the western fortress for many years.

"I was supposed to mate Sesshomaru! It was never supposed to be some weak miko bitch."

Kagome placed her hands at the womans temples. Once Kagomes hands were gone, the world went black for Naoko.

"You'll have a chance to get your eyesight back the day you're healed, we will fight, in a proper challenge for the rights to be lady of the west."

With that being said Kagome lowered the barrier and left the care wing to bump into Sesshomaru.

"Miko, just what did you think you were going to accomplish going in there?"

"Revenge, simple as that, I can't fix my own eyes, but I can ruin hers. I'm going to help Rin train."

"What do you mean-" "She's fucking blinded me, Sesshomaru!" Naoko shouted

"Why would you do that?" Sesshomaru was confused, he had always known the miko to be forgiving and kind, to everyone, no matter what they did to her. She was nice enough to warn Kagura about her heart, and even put it back in, she revived his brothers dead woman, and even stuck around him after he mated her and got her pregnant.

"It evens the playing field, Sesshomaru, she thought she was supposed to be your mate, and she felt convicted enough to blind me, after I offered up a challenge to any one with any sort of problem. So the day she gets out of there, her and I will have a full on challenge for the rights to be Lady of the West."

"And what of our child? It was bad enough when you took on the three at once but they were no where near Naoko's level, you don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"I'm stronger than her, there's no need for you to worry, if it would make you feel better then take me outside and I can show you how strong I've gotten, I can practice on one of your soldiers."

"I will find one of the women to help you, but it will happen tomorrow, tonight, you have done enough, we will go back to our room." He grabbed on to her shoulder and led her back to their room. Once he closed the door to their room, he pushed her off of him.

"What do you think you are doing? You will risk the life of my child, over some petty argument."

"You think I haven't protected our child? Sesshomaru, you must think I'm some kind of fool" She grabbed his hand and placed it over her stomach, pressing on his tendons so his fingers flexed into her stomach a barrier forced his hand back as soon as his nails sunk into her skin, and his finger tips were slightly burned.

"What have you done?"

"Don't worry about it, I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

"What's caused the change in your attitude, woman?"

"Sesshomaru, not only am I blind, I'm stuck with some one who not only was in an arranged engagement up until he lost control of his hormones, he will always look down on me because I'm not a demon so I will always be pushing to prove my worth to him, and to top it off, its going to be almost five hundred years until I have my mom to talk to, because my friends here are all human and they don't live very long at all. So I'm not going to be the most agreeable person for a while, alright, you're going to have to deal with some changes. How long am I going to be pregnant?"

"What do you mean look down on? You have no idea what I think of you or any one else."

"I'm a lowly human who's not worth the position of Lady of the West. Is that right?"

"We will talk after your fight with Naoko. You will need to try your hardest, she is a formidable opponent."

"Who do you want to win, Sesshomaru?" His eyes closed and he let out a slow breath, opened his eyes again, and pushed her down on their bed. The two might as well act like the real Lord and Lady of the west.

When Sesshomaru woke up, Kagome was gone from the bed and her spot was cold. The sun was just now peaking over the horizon, and he wondered why would she be awake that early. He got his day clothes on and left his room.

"Have you seen Kagome?" He stopped the woman who had been helping Kagome get ready since she was blinded. Her name was Yuki and she had been Rin's baby sitter before Rin came to him.

"She's out fighting the guards, I never would have believed that Kagome could fight like that. I think the Guards are afraid to hit her back, but if they don't your castle will have a bunch of men who can hardly walk guarding it."

He knew he wouldn't be able to slow her down or even stop her, and some time before Naoko woke up he had to tell her what he wanted, but he knew he wouldn't have Naoko. He went out to the training grounds to see what kind of fighting she would be doing, to say it wasn't what he expected would be an understatement, she wasn't fighting like any woman he had ever seen. She was punching them, using her strength, not her miko abilities to take down the guards. When they would move to hit her she would duck and go for their stomach. She didn't use her feet very often but when she did, it would be to take them down if they jumped, or to push them away from herself. She had been out for a while, her knuckles were bandaged, and blood was coming through.

"Miko! Stop this at once!" Kagome paused but resumed her fight quickly.

"Miko, did you not hear me the first time? I demand that you stop."

With a solid punch to the guards jaw knocking him out, Kagome walked over to Sesshomaru.

"Listen here, Sesshomaru, I'm not going to lose this fight, every day until the day Naoko is healed I will continue to train."

And that's what she did, every day she would wake up at dawn, eat breakfast, train with the guards, when noon rolled around, she would eat lunch and train Rin, afterwords she would try to get use to shooting her bow and arrows with a new homing technique she thought of. She used a persons energy to see, feel them, and tell how they were feeling. It was hard to get used to shooting, but everything else came natural. She had taken up boxing classes when she went home, and knew they would be useful in this time. But after four days of training Naoko woke up and the training grounds were prepared for the fight that would be happening that night.


	11. Chapter 11

"Kagome, Naoko has been released from the care ward. Are you sure you want to do this?" Sango asked while Kagome sat on the mattress in her room. Tentatively she added, "You know you could always run away, come live in the slayer Village, we could use a good miko like you. Then Naoko and Sesshomaru could live together like mates, and you would have the chance to try to forget him and live like a human with a man YOU chose."

"Sango, all of that sounds nice, but you know it wouldn't work, Sesshomaru would be forced in to looking for me, while Naoko planned her revenge. If I win the fight, then Naoko won't die. I also know that not only did Midorioko give me her soul so I could mate him, Amaterasu wanted this to happen. I'm not sure about you, but if a Goddess and a legendary Miko want you to mate some one you tough it out and figure out why they wanted you to do it over some one stronger."

"Kagome! That's very noble of you, but think about what you're committing to; A life time with an icicle of a man who won't love you and will continue to look down on your children. You'll never be good enough for him!"

"Sango, I understand how you're feeling right now, but I think it's best you leave, I need to get ready and collect myself." Her statement was said with a harsh tone, Sango knew the conversation was done, and if Kagome won the fight then she would have to make up to her then, but now she knew that Kagome needed time alone, otherwise her head wouldn't be in the fight and she stood no chance against Naoko.

"Alright, Kagome, I'll see you before and after the fight."

"Yuki! I need you, then after this you can leave, you're off for the day." Kagome's shout was hoarse and Yuki knew something was wrong with her Lady so she scrambled in the door

"Yes, my lady?" She bowed low and didn't look at Kagome as she said this.

"Yuki, please stop with the formalities, will you grab me the pants and t-shirt from my trunk?"

"Sweat pants, my lady?" With an exasperated sigh Kagome remembered when she was, and that she wasn't with her friends who were used to her 'Future' clothes and terms.

"The garments I wear when I train, Yuki."

"OH! Yes, right away, would you like to bathe before you get dressed?" Her voice held a hint of sadness, like she thought the bath may be Kagomes last one.

"I'll take to the hot springs after the fight, Yuki. Can I have my clothes now please?"

After a short tussle with Yuki over the clothes and weather or not she needed her hair done up, she was dressed and had a purple ribbon in her hair with a surprise in case Naoko played dirty in the fight.

Yuki led Kagome to the open room that was often used to sit and think, Kagome would be using it for meditation and stretches, she was hoping to be alone for the afternoon before the fight but her friends were set to see that she wasn't, the first to come was Kikyo,

"Sister, Kagome. How are you feeling? Are you well enough for the fight?"

"I'm not your sister, I'm fine, and I've been ready for the fight."

"I know we are not related by blood, but we do, or we used to share a soul I feel that makes us almost sisters. Before you were mated I didn't trust you, I knew you had been after Inu-Yasha, but I know you are a loyal person."

Kagome continued on with her stretches and didn't respond to Kikyo, who took that as a sign of acceptance and forgiveness and left her to do her training.

Around fifteen minutes later Miroku came in and sat nest to her.

"Lady Kagome, You are one of my dearest friends, and with out you, I never would have met my beautiful wife who was the one woman who I wanted to bear my children, I never would have taken care of the curse on my family. I hope that you will do your best in this fight, Sango and I will be there supporting you the whole time."

Kagome stopped briefly and hugged Miroku, the kind of hug a sister would give her older brother when she didn't want any words to be said, but she wanted some one to comfort her, when she began to stand up, he went with her and she led him to the door and let him outside with out saying anything. It was best for her not to, she knew what ever one was doing, but now was not the time to let it get to her, she would lose focus and not be able to put everything into the fight.

Finally after Miroku left her she was alone for a full hour before Inu-Yasha came in while she had been laying on the floor with her eyes set as if she were looking at the ceiling. Inu-Yasha came and laid down next to her, after a few minutes of undisturbed silence he took a deep breath, as he was about to say something, he closed his mouth, shut his eyes, and took another breath, but before he could even begin to say what ever it was he was going to say Kagome stood up.

"Look, Inu-yasha, I know you guys think you're helping me by saying goodbye to me in your own ways, and trying to get me to know how you feel about me. It's not going to help me, it's making it worse to know you guys don't believe in me! Now the next time some one comes through that door, it better be Sesshomaru with the wraps for my hands letting me know the fight is going to start."

"But, Kagome!"

"NO! Inu-Yasaha, How's this you don't leave right now and I'll remake the rosary for you and sit you until you're in America!"

Inu-Yasha didn't need to ask where America was, her threat stuck and she was left alone until the sun had started to set and the half-moon started to rise above the horizon.

Sesshomaru had heard Kagomes threats to his half brother, and he understood why she was so angry with her friends, he had felt the same way when he first went in battle and his sister came crying to him with Naoko telling him good bye. Shaking his head, he cleared away the thoughts of the past and took the strange bandages from his sleeve before opening the door to the room. The young woman in there was not the same girl who had first challenged him in his fathers tomb, she had shed that silly school uniform she had worn before, and now wore tight fitting pants that came to her ankles and a green shirt with sleeves that were thin straps, also tight fitting showing off the slight bump that revealed her pregnancy. He smiled at the thought of his child in there, then handed her what he came to deliver.

While she was wrapping up her knuckles in the wrap.

"What is that." His question came out as a statement, and the sudden break in the silence startled her.

"My instructor always told me, before I get into the ring I need to wrap my hands, otherwise my hands could get messed up."

"I came here to tell you the rule of the fight"

"There's a rule? I thought it was the first person to go down lost"

"The only rules is there are to be weapons."

Kagome made a fist with her thumb tucked in, with a sharp jerk her thumb came out and there was a small handle poking out of the circle her hands made, she tugged on the handle and the sword grew to a normal size.

"Miko I think we should talk."

"Well I think it can wait until after the fight, or is this about wanting me to throw the fight so you can be with your intended?"

"You keep calling her my intended, and I am not quite sure why or how you convinced yourself of that, any ways I was here to tell you, this fight of yours is not necessary, I can send Naoko away if you would like."

"She was never supposed to marry you? She told me when I blinded her, it was the only thing that made me consider if blinding her was wrong."

"We don't have a lot of time for the story. You don't need to fight her to keep your place as Lady of The West."

Kagome's response angered him more than anything else, she laughed at him.

"Why are you laughing? I can have you killed if I so wish!" His voice came out as a roar and Kagome realized how much she had upset him, he wasn't one to talk about his feelings and it must have taken a lot for him to come out and accept her as his life mate.

"Sesshomaru, I'm sorry" Kagome grabbed his hand when she said this and pulled him down so they were sitting side by side "Do you know what my friends were doing when they came in to talk to me? They were all saying good-bye to me, even my own friends don't think I can do it. If I called off the challenge now every one, humans and demons, would look down on me. I'm using this as a chance to prove myself as a fighter, and a miko. I will not purify her. Enough about my feelings on this, who do you want to win, Sesshomaru?"

"I'm not allowed to say, but I will see you after the fight Kagome."

He left the room to go let Naoko know that she wasn't going to be allowed to use a weapon, leaving Kagome sitting on the floor with her hair tied up in a ribbon waiting for the guard to escort her.

While she was waiting, Kagome fell asleep on the floor she woke up to Daitaro shaking her.

"My lady, you must wake up! They were expecting up ten minutes ago!"

When she stood up he all but dragged her out of the room and in to the hallway. Rushing around the castle to get to the gardens in the back that would lead to the training grounds, before they got outside he stopped them

"Kagome, be careful I know that you are a strong person, watched you take out Naraku after you had been killed! Take it slow at first fighting will be different with out your eyes, and Naoko will play dirty, she's wanted Lord Sesshomaru to be her mate since before his mother and sister were killed."

Kagome never responded, she just tugged on the end of her ribbon and walked up to where Sesshomaru was waiting for her in the circle with Naoko on the other side of him.

"Now that the Human Miko has arrived, we can begin the challenge that came after Naoko placed her claim on Sesshomaru, and the Miko blinded her-"

"Hey! I was blinded first, by Naoko, after I gave every one a chance to fight me, and took on three rather large demons by myself, and put a demons heart back inside of them!"

"Miko, now is not the time." Sesshomarus voice was low, so only she could hear it.

"They're making it out like I was the one to initially attack her, I wasn't! I gave her a chance to attack!"

Every one was paying attention to Kagome yelling at Sesshomaru, that no one noticed Naoko kneeling in front of them with her head leaning to the left.

"Miko, be quiet. Naoko what is the meaning of this? Will you continue with the challenge or are you fore-fitting."

"I forfeit, by doing this, I understand that any claim I held over, Sesshomaru Lord Of the West, is gone and he is free to pursue any woman, human, demon or miko."

"Kagome, what do you wish to do?"

"Naoko will remain blind until I see my son. Until that day she will help me make the changes I plan on making for when you leave."

"Changes?" But when he looked over at her, Kagome was slumped over and passed out.


	12. Chapter 12

"Sesshomaru, are you awake?" Kagome and Sesshomaru were laying in bed getting ready to relax for the night. They shared the bed at night only to hold the idea that they were happily mated and would stay that way.

After the first three weeks being rough, the next 3 months progressed easily with both Kagome and Sesshomaru setting into an easy pattern; In the morning they would eat breakfast with Rin and Shippo, who had come from his school much to the protest of Kagome, who believed he needed a better handle on his Fox powers, but he refused to be away from her when there had already been so much trouble with her. Then right after breakfast Kagome being led by Rin went out to the court yard to train the human women under Sesshomarus care, or in his service in the art of healing, educating them on the herbs that lay around the castle, and in self defense, the progress was slow due to Kagomes blindness and her ever growing stomach, but the women were getting a hold of it. While this was going on, Sesshomaru was training the younger men how to defend themselves, how to attack, and deciding who if any of the young men from the villages surrounding his home would join his army.

Lunch came in the afternoon, where Entei, Sora Enteis mate, and their son Katsu would join them and they would talk of small things, how their days were going, Kagomes Pregnancy, what supplies they would need for the winter coming up, and any preparations they would need for the baby.

After lunch, Entei took Shippou and Katsu out to the court yard to train them in defending themselves and the women. While Kagome took Rin out to demonstrate how to hold a bow, promising that if her sight should return, she would give her better instruction. Teaching her any defense with a sword, and healing with her miko abilities. During the days events, Kagome would faint, any one who could sense her power, would feel it go out right as she fainted and she would stay out for about five minutes, and those around her would wait patiently for her to wake up. None of the healers had figured out why she was fainting.

Naoko was careful to stay away from Kagome, and Sesshomaru, by making sure she was useful in the castles healing wards, and helping out any one who would take her. She had taken a special liking to Daitaro, but it was hard to get his attention after her attempts at Kagomes life.

In the time Kagome had been in the castle, she proved herself time and time again, when something went wrong, or some one needed help, she was the first one there trying to fix what ever had gone wrong. People and Demons were talking about her and her healing powers and knowledge about herbs and medicine. The only thing any one considered bad about her was her constant want to bathe every night.

Sango and Miroku left the castle after staying for four weeks, Sango was rapidly approaching her due date and they didn't want to be stuck at the castle so far from their village.

Sesshomaru looked at the young woman laying next to him, she wasn't what he had expected of a human. When he first met her, the only thing important was power, it became an all consuming part of his life. When the young human, Rin, tried to help him he let her follow him after he took her from her old village. Now he wondered if she longed for the companionship of other humans.

The young woman next to him, his mate she was different. She kept herself clean with regular baths. If any one needed her help she would give it to him. The word selfish might not even be in her vocabulary. but for all of her good qualities she was a human, she could never be as strong as he was, their child would not have the same life span as him. It was best to keep himself distant from her.

"What do you want, miko?" He turned to lay on his left side so he was looking at her. She was on her back and the pregnancy was progressing quickly, she now had a 'baby-bump' as she called it, there would only be two more months before she was ready for labor.

"My name is Kagome, Sesshomaru," She was alternating her hand movement between rubbing her bell, playing with strands of hair, and putting her hands behind her head.

"Well I was wondering if you would be able to answer a few questions for me."

"And these questions HAD to wait until we were in bed?"

"It was about us being mates, and what it means for us. If you wouldn't mind explaining the whole situation?"

"When Inu's mate, it's for life. Should I choose to mark someone else, you will die. I can not and will not sleep with any one else, it's never been high up on my list of priorities. You take on the role of the Lady of The West, helping out with what ever I tell you needs fixing. Women don't hold a lot of power here. Anything else?" He didn't sound rude, just bored.

"Doesn't it bother you that you're stuck with my until you die?"

"Miko, I don't think you understood me, the mating has no effect on your life span, unless I take some one else."

"Well that's the thing, my lifespan is, well let's just say adjustable, Midorioko wanted to be sure that I would live until my time, and further on if possible. That's why I've been having the fainting spells."

"She wants you to live, so she's making you faint" He raised an eyebrow at what little sense the miko was making.

"No, she told me but I don't fully understand it myself. She said that every miko woman is given 60 years to live, and everytime they die before 60 I get the extra life. She told me they don't have to be a strong miko, they just have to have the power inside of them. It's an awful feeling, taking someones years, it hurts, normally they don't go in their sleep. So as long as mikos continue to be, so will I."

Sesshomaru didn't respond he just rolled over and went to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

"Lord Sesshomaru!" The sudden outburst made Sesshomaru stand up and begin to draw his sword before he realized that it was only Sora standing in the empty field.

Most of the men from his army had gone home for the deep part of winter so they could provide for their families, and keep them safe. Sesshomaru used this time to train, away from the constant distraction of the army.

"What is it lady Sora?"

"Lady Kagome had the baby, you're a father now." The news didn't bring happiness to Sesshomaru right away, why hadn't he been alerted that his mate was in labor?

"She didn't want you to worry about her, she knew her blood might make you a little angry."

With out much acknowledgment that he was even listening to her other than the slight raising of his eyebrows, he turned on his heel and left her standing in the fields by herself as he made his was to the infirmary.

The first thing he noticed when he got up there, was the lingering scent of his mates blood, the second thing he noticed was she had abandoned the bandages she had been wearing over her eyes for the past month, and finally he noticed the black haired full demon blue bundle in her arms.

"Lord Sesshomaru, nice of you to join us here." One of the nurses at Kagomes bedside said with a happy grin.

"Do you want to hold him?" He was just born I was waiting for you to get up here before we decided on a name for him. Sesshomaru took the tiny bundle from her arms, cradling the head like he had been shown by Entei a few days before, he marveled at the life in his arms that had just joined their family.

While he was holding the nameless baby, it hit him, the baby was not half demon, he was a full demon, he would live just as long as Sesshomaru had if not longer! The idea of not outliving his child gave him a sense of peace, a struggle that had been going on inside of him for the past five months was ended. The baby gave a small yawn and opened his eyes for the first time for Sesshomaru.

The child had his golden eyes, and Kagomes black hair!

"Sesshomaru, I was wondering if it would be ok for us to name him after my father?"

She was looking at him with her big blue eyes under her thick black lashes, she had scooted over on the bed so he could sit down next to her. She leaned her head on his shoulder and looked over at their son, he was perfect in her eyes.

"What was your fathers name, Kagome?"

A few shouts and a racket was heard down the hallway along with several pairs of boots, and … Hooves coming down the hallway.

"Sir, you can't go in there! Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagome should not be bothered so soon after the birth of the heir!"

Before whoever the guards were chasing could respond Sesshomaru sighed and stood up leaving the baby with Kagome, in her bed. Stepping out into the hallway he was greeted with a sight he would rather not see, Totosai was standing out side of his door way, with the ox and all a pair of large pliers in one hand and a guard grabbing on to the other arm.

"Ah! Sesshomaru, just the man I wanted to see," Totosai gave a big goofy grin at the demon lord, and ripped his arm out of the guards grasp with a surprising ease, "Where's that baby of yours?"

Eying the pliers suspiciously he responded carefully, "The child is in the room with Kagome, what are you planning on doing with those?" He gestured at the pliers, and raised an eyebrow at the ancient blacksmith.

"These," He began waving the pliers around, " Are for one of your fangs, and I need to see the baby and take one tiny strand of hair off of their head. So, can I see him now?" Saying nothing Sesshomaru turned around and opened the door, after glaring at the ox, letting it know to stay out in the hallway.

"Totosai, nice to see you again, I'm glad you got my message, and thank you for coming down to help us. Do you want to hold him?"

When Totosai grabbed the baby and looked at him, he jumped back a little, after calming his breath he reached one hand out and plucked one hair out of the babies head. Right as the hair was pulled the baby started crying, so Totosai handed him back to his mother and left the room with Sesshomaru on his heels.

Once they were in the hallway Totosai turned to Sesshomaru "You have a problem, young lord. We will have to discuss this after I take the fang from you."

"Why can't we do it no-" Right as Sesshomarus mouth moved to make the 'o' sound in now, Totosai's hand with the pliers in it, reached out quick as lightning, and pulled the bottom right fang out of his mouth.

"Now we talk about your problem, what is unusual about your son?" Before Sesshomaru could answer Totosai spoke up again "He's a full demon. A union between a Lord and a Miko should have given a combination of your powers, such as your parents mating did, and their parents before them. The beauty of heirs is, they represent the leaders before them. In short, your son is not destined to be your heir." Totosais words struck Sesshomaru with what felt like a very powerful swing from Inu-Yasha to his gut.

"I will return in a fortnight with the sword." And with that Totosai got on his ox and they left the castle the same way they came, loud and leaving tracks behind.

Sesshomaru returned to the room after a short period of being in the hallway by himself and sat down beside Kagome and their son. Placing his arm around Kagome's waist, he placed a small kiss on top of her head and explained to her was was said between him and Totosai and after a short silence, "What was your fathers name, Kagome?"

"His name was Mako."

"Then our sons name will be Mako."

And with that, the first son to Sesshomaru and Kagome was born and named.


	14. Chapter 14

Sesshomaru stood at the head of his army, a mix of dog demons, wolf demons headed by Koga who came on Kagome's request, and there were about 40 slayers from Sango's village. It had been six months since he left Kagome and two year old Mako behind at the fortress. She had all but begged him to let her come with him, but he got her to stay by reminding her that Mako needed some one to take care of him in his absence. He took all of his men with him, leaving her protected by the many Mikos who came to learn from her, the mates of the men in his army, and a hand full of Sango's most talented slayers.

Now, he was only days away from entering the lands of the north and a few weeks away from the castle. His progress had been slowed by the humans traveling with him, the constant need for breaks, and some men wanting to help both human and demon villages, the closer they got to the north, the worse condition the human villages were in.

High above the Army of the West deep in the northern lands above the castle in the mountains, Sat Kagura on her blue feather. For the sixth time since Sesshomaru left, Kagome had sent her out to scout ahead of the army, every time before she would be able to let Kagome know they would be fine. This time would be different, this time there was an Army of Mikos waiting for the Army of The West. Now their victory was not a sure thing. The previous times she had gone, there was only a small army formed, with The Lord of The North at it's head, commanding them, and training them.

As Kagura sailed towards Edo on her feather. It was funny she always expected to be one of the women, to be standing in the line waiting for Sesshomaru to notice her, expected for Kagome to marry Inu-Yasha, and Kikyo to return to the after life. Even Kagura couldn't say Kagome was bad for the West, with her and Rin there, they were slowly bridging the gap between humans and demons. Shortly after Makos birth Kagomes sight returned, and after the celebration Miko's poured in asking to be trained by Kagome. She refused every women who wanted to destroy demons with out due cause. There were the Mikos and Women who felt betrayed by Kagome, she was supposed to be the defender of humans, but instead she was living with Demons, marrying one of the strongest of them, and worst of all having his child. Kaguras train of thought was interrupted when she arrived in Edo right at the door of Inu-yashasand Kikyos home. Their daughter, Haruka, was sitting by the fire listening to Inu-yasha tell her the story of how they met Shippo. While Kikyo was cleaning up and making sure she had begun to store herbs and fruit for the winter. When Kagura entered they both went silent, eyes wide, while Haruka sat there just _looking_ at her.

Inu-yasha was the first to break the silence, "Please tell me you're just here to say 'hi' on your way back to the castle."

"You know that's not how it goes, Kikyo, is the bag with Haruka's stuff ready?"

Kikyo nodded and rushed back to the room that her and Inu-yasha shared grabbing Kagomes old back pack filled with all of the things Haruka would and could be in need of for an extended stay at the castle. When she came out Inu-yasha was trading his plain black hakama, and white haori for his robe of the fire rat, and strapping his Tetsuiga on his hip.

Haruka, just under four years old, and only a quarter demon, had still gotten her fathers ears and eyes, but her mothers hair She was scooting closer to the demon who had entered their home, she had seen her a few times and was curious to talk to her, to get an understanding of what being a full demon meant, but she also knew now wasn't the time to try. Something big was happening, something both of her parents had feared.

About thirty minutes of Kikyo passing through silently, Inu-yasha scrambling to get what was needed, Kagura standing there, and Haruka sitting outside of the door waiting for them to tell her what was going on and what Kagura was doing there. When every one finally came out Kagura held her hand out to Haruka,

"Come on get up, you will be riding with me. I can tell you what's going on on the way."

"What d'ya mean she's going with you?! She's my kid, I'm taking her!"

"Daddy, I want to go with Lady Kagura, she would be able to get me there quickly, plus you and mommy could have some time to talk to each other 'away from tiny ears'"

After the last statement out of Harukas mouth, all three adults looked a little shocked, Kagura was the first to get over it, grabbing Haruka by the hand and pulling the feather out of her hair, Kagura had them both in the sky on their way to the castle with Haruka shouting in her tiny almost four year old voice "Bye Mommy! Bye Daddy!" And waving a little hand at the two of them until she couldn't see them any more.

Kagura sat with the child between her legs to keep the feather balanced. The girl was looking every where; at the birds flying around them, at the sky and the clouds, and at the ground racing beneath them. She sat there in a stunned silence, until her curiosity got the best of her and the questions started, Where they were going, why they were going there, who was she, how did she know her parents all of the questions were easy enough to answer, until the last question came 'What is it like to be a full demon?'

"Why does it matter? Are you not happy with the way you are?"

"Well, Miss Kagura, I AM happy with the way I am, just last time we went to see Mako, he was already a little bigger than me, AND he's going to live longer than I will. I just want to know what it's like."

"When you're older, you can ask me, but until then, just be happy that you have two great parents. Alright?"

"What happened to your parents, Miss Kagura?" With a deep sigh, Kagura answered that one as best she could

"I don't have any." And the tone in her voice made Haruka understand that question time was over.

The pair on the feather had been going so fast that the sun was setting and the castle was visible on the horizon, As they got closer a lone figure was standing outside waiting for them, and the woman was dressed as any Lady of a house as big as the House of The West should be. In an elegant blue kimono with a silver obi and matching sliver eight pointed stars decorating the kimono, and the unmistakable bow and arrows next to her.

When the feather landed and Kagome caught sight of Haruka, her face paled.

"How long until the reach the Norther castle?"

"Give them a week, maybe two depending on how much trouble they encounter."

"How many are there?"

"They have a small army, none with any great skill. I think they plan on winning with numbers. Seems the Lord of The North can't be all bad to the mikos around there."

"How long will it take 15 of the best shooters and 15 of the fastest demons plus me and you to get there if we only stop to sleep?"

"We could make it in 1 week. But the demons wouldn't be much help in the actual fight."

"Then we need a new plan. Are you tired?"

"I can sleep tonight and be ready to go tomorrow morning."

"Then you and I will lead them, we will increase our numbers to 20 of each, hopefully you and I can buy enough time to save them."

Kagome finally took the time to crouch down to Haruka's level and give her a hug. Then she led them into the castle gates where they were greeted by Jaken.

"Welcome back Kagura, and hello, Little Haruka." Jaken had finally taken to being friendly with Kagura, and he tolerated Kagome. Haruka on the other hand, held a special spot in the little toad demons heart.

"Jaken, wake the miko's, the servants, and gather the demons."

"Now My lady?! It is well past sunset and they need their sleep so they can be ready for the day tomorrow."

"Jaken, what were Sesshomarus orders to you when he left?"

"Well, uhm, he told me to listen to you, and to treat you like you were him."

"Would you ever even dream of speaking to him like this, or questioning him in such a manner?"

Kagomes voice had taken the darker tone that let the toad know, now was not the time to argue. So he scuttled off, going to gather the requested women and bring them to the training ground where Kagome could address them all at once.

"Kagura, you know what we are doing tomorrow, you go get your sleep, we will leave at noon."

Kagura knew Kagome was deliberately putting off their departure so she would be able to rest her body, knowing not to take this lightly, Kagura bowed deeply to her, and left to her room that had been offered to her after her heart had been replaced by Kagome.

Kagome stood in the court yard waiting for the women to arrive with Mako on her right and Haruka on her left. When the women arrived, she had Jaken escort them to their rooms near hers and Sesshomarus.

"Akane, and Miyu, I need you to pick out the 20 best archers who will be willing to go with a demon, Hina and Riko, I need you to pick out 20 women who can make it to the northern lands in 6 and a half days while carrying a woman. Once that is done the women who were selected please go right to your rooms and be back here at sun rise. Oh, Riko, make sure that Sora and Naoko are both included in that, they will want to be there to help out."

Once the 40 women left to go to bed, Kagome turned to the remaining women,

"Rin, come up here," Once she was standing in front of the women with Kagome she continued speaking. "While I'm gone, Rin will be the one in charge. Should any of you suspect there is any danger, you will bring ALL of the children to the ball room, and a barrier needs to be maintained until the threat has been taken care of. You all may go rest, Rin, you stay here. I will see all of you in the after noon, once the others leave. Are there any questions?"

One of the servant men raised his hand

"Why are you all leaving now, why didn't you leave with the men?"

"I had hoped to avoid leaving, Sesshomaru never wanted me involved in this war, he wanted me to stay with Mako. Things up north have gone differently than expected, they have mikos waiting until they arrive. When they DO arrive, we will be there to protect them. Any thing else?" When no one raised their hand, she dismissed them.

While they waited for every one to leave Rin, spent the time thinking, why couldn't she be of more help to her parents?

"Rin, stop it." She looked up and Kagome was giving her a stern look "This is no time to feel down on yourself. I need some one I can trust to stay with Mako, I can't go bringing him with me on a battle field can I now? You were my first student, and you are the best one here at keeping people in order, you've come a long way from the 15 year old girl you were when I started teaching you. I will be leaving in two days, if Kagura is still sleeping tomorrow afternoon, let her sleep. I will be waiting on Inu-yasha and Kikyo, Kikyo is going to stay behind to help you and the others. Inu-yasha will be coming with us on foot. _Sesshomaru_ and I will both return to you. I'll even see if I can convince him to leave the troops behind and come home to his children."

Rin turned and left to her room to get some sleep leaving Kagome to her thoughts


End file.
